Getting the ‘real’ picture of teaching in your school

Earlier this month, Mike Cladingbowl, Ofsted’s National Director, outlined a major culture shift in the way lesson observations are being undertaken, starting this month in the West Midlands. Read the article here

This will move the focus away from strict lesson check-lists and episodically grading teaching in lessons, towards a summative observation report based on discussions and evidence over time.  For example, work scrutiny, planning scrutiny, learning walks and conversations with both staff and pupils.

Already, hundreds of schools across the country are using Perspective to compile their bank of observations for evidence.  

Here are 3 ways in which Perspective is ready to support schools adapting to this change:

1. Customising observation templates, giving you:

• The flexibility to set parameters for your judgements on teaching for your school
• Consistency in approach across your school, trust, chain or alliance
• Your own descriptors and modelling statements, highlighting expectations for teaching across your school
• Clearly outline strengths and areas for development or support, and link these to appraisal or professional standards

2.  Having a bank of exemplar templates for work scrutiny, rapid feedback, learning walks:

• Use these templates as they are, customise them or create your own
• You can use all of your monitoring forms in Perspective to consider a wide range of sources regarding your teaching profile across the school

3. Live analysis and a robust evidence base:

• Triangulate your evidence – you can attach evidence to your monitoring forms to substantiate findings e.g. pupil assessment data
• Instant analysis –by person, team, lesson, year group or focus area
• Easily track and monitor the improvement in teaching over time and plotting early intervention
• Observations automatically linked to appraisals and professional development portfolios so that staff can see all evidence of their performance in one place. 

All of this information will be critical in helping inform any judgements you make on pay progression this coming September, and will maintain clarity across the process.

To discuss how Perspective can do all of this for you, and more, please email perspective@angelsolutions.co.uk or call us on 0151-705-3666