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OFSTED’s inspection arrangements
How Widgit Symbols and software help schools meet the current requirements
The current Education Inspection Framework (EIF) came into force in September 2019 and inspectors are now required to make graded judgements on four key areas:
- Quality of education
- Behaviour and attitude
- Personal development
- Leadership and management
Below, Our Education Specialist Sue White has taken a look at each of these areas and illustrates how Widgit's software and resources can help support schools meet the current requirements; with free examples to provoke thoughts and ideas.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss the topics covered in this article you can email Sue directly.
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Leadership and Management
OFSTED Criteria
Leaders have a clear and ambitious vision for providing high-quality, inclusive education.
How can Widgit help?
Symbol-supported resources benefit all learners and help them to access the full curriculum.
OFSTED Criteria
Leaders engage effectively with learners and others in their community, including – where relevant – parents, carers, employers and local services.
How can Widgit help?
Symbolised, multilingual signage and dual language communications (letters, newsletters and announcements) support engagement with learners and families with EAL.
OFSTED Criteria
Leaders engage with their staff and are aware and take account of the main pressures on them. They are realistic and constructive in the way that they manage staff, including their workload.
How can Widgit help?
Ready-made resources and templates make it easy to create a range of accessible resources, avoiding creating "unnecessary workload for staff."
OFSTED Criteria
The provider has a culture of safeguarding that supports effective arrangements to help learners reduce their risk of harm by securing the support they need.
How can Widgit help?
Symbol-supported resources help learners to express their need for appropriate support. A good example of a ready-made resource is the Pupil's Voice materials which you can download below.
Pupil Voice -
Personal Development
OFSTED Criteria
The curriculum and the provider's wider work support learners to develop their character – including their resilience, confidence and independence
How can Widgit help?
Symbol-supported labels and displays boost learners' confidence and independence. Task lists and scaffolded activities help learners to experience success without overdependence on adult support, thus promoting confidence and independence.
Sample materials -
Behaviour and Attitude
OFSTED Criteria
Schools should have high expectations for learners' behaviour and conduct and apply these expectations consistently and fairly.
How can Widgit help?
You can create symbol-supported resources which help encourage high expectations of behaviour and conduct. A good example of a ready-made resource is the Behavioural Prompts pack.
OFSTED Criteria
Learners' attitudes to their education or training are positive. They are committed to their learning, know how to study effectively and do so, are resilient to setbacks and take pride in their achievements
How can Widgit help?
You can create rewards charts and marking stickers to support learners to "know how to study effectively" and to "take pride in their achievements". They enable teachers to give clear, direct feedback. A good example of a ready-made resource is the Marking Stickers pack, which can be downloaded using the link below.
Marking Stickers Sample -
Quality of Education
OFSTED Criteria
Inspectors expect the curriculum to be ambitious and designed to give all learners, particularly the most disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or high needs, the knowledge and cultural capital they need to succeed in life.
How can Widgit help?
Symbol-supported resources benefit all learners, particularly those with SEND and high needs, and help them to access the full curriculum. Widgit software has a wide range of existing, differentiated and clearly presented curriculum materials ready to meet the needs of children with additional needs of varying degrees. As an example, we are giving away for free our Woodlands Pack which is suitable for all KS1 learners not just those with SEND.
OFSTED Criteria
Teachers are to present subject matter clearly and provide clear direct feedback to students. Teaching is to be adapted as appropriate without unnecessarily elaborate or differentiated approaches.
How can Widgit help?
Visual materials enable teachers to present subject matter clearly and facilitate learners' retention of teaching content. Resource packs such as Marking Stickers and rewards charts support learners to "know how to study effectively" and to "take pride in their achievements". They enable teachers to give clear, direct feedback. Different levels of symbolisation help to adapt teaching "without unnecessarily elaborate…approaches."
OFSTED Criteria
Teachers are to create an environment that allows the learner to focus on learning. The resources and materials that teachers select, should be done so in a way that does not create unnecessary workload for staff.
How can Widgit help?
Ready-made resources and templates make it easy to create a range of accessible resources, avoiding creating "unnecessary workload for staff."
Woodlands Pack
Create your own visual supports using over 20,000 Widgit Symbols.
Perfect for Parents, Teachers or SLT's working with students of any age.
