Schools Rise to the OfSTED Challenge

In September 2009, OfSTED launched their new school inspection framework, raising the level of expectations placed upon schools to new heights and becoming much more stringent in terms of outcomes, especially for safeguarding. Schools in Peterborough rose to this challenge very successfully.

At the beginning of the year, at least 7 city schools were judged as vulnerable to this new framework. Through intensive and concerted support, all schools inspected during the year received a judgement that their provision was at least satisfactory, and no schools entered the category of “Requiring Special Measures”, Peterborough being one of only a very few LAs in the country to achieve this distinction.

57% of schools were judged to be Good or Outstanding for overall effectiveness, and 82% were judged to be Good or Outstanding for safeguarding – results which are in line with and just above national averages.

There are no primary or secondary schools in Peterborough judged by OfSTED to be inadequate, and during the past two years we have worked hard with schools to ensure that those previously judged inadequate are now no longer in need of “Special Measures”.

This is helping the council to achieve its National Indicator 89 target of reducing the number of schools judged to require Special Measures. In fact the target has been exceeded ahead of schedule.