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The Optimus blog

The blog that inspires leaders in the UK education sector

The Optimus blog

The blog that inspires leaders in the UK education sector

School performance and accountability

Diane Leedham
24 September 2018

Ethical assessment and tracking for EAL learners

Diane Leedham argues why data should be the servant and not the master when it comes to championing the needs of EAL learners. After months of uncertainty and behind the scenes speculation about the position for EAL and BAME learners in the 2018/19 school census return, the DfE finally released the...
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John Viner
17 July 2018

When is outstanding not good enough?

Recent reports have brought renewed criticism of Ofsted’s delay in inspecting 'outstanding' schools. John Viner summarises what has changed – and what hasn’t. It has taken rather longer to surface than might be expected, but you must have noticed the frequency with which the education press is...
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Lisa Griffin
3 July 2018

MATs: inspection and accountability

We asked three multi-academy trust CEOs for their views on Ofsted, inspection and how MATs can measure and evaluate their own impact. Ofsted have asked for the power to inspect MATs. What would this mean for trusts? The key issue is not who inspects MATs, but rather how MATs are to be inspected...
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Caroline Collins
10 May 2018

GDPR: ready and waiting

Bring on the GDPR! In the last of her GDPR blog series, Caroline Collins describes her final preparations. I’ve been talking to quite a number of people since my last post and am still hearing from people who are telling me that they’ve done nothing about it and don’t intend to, until they get some...
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Elizabeth Holmes
10 April 2018

Bouncing back from a disappointing inspection outcome

Your Ofsted inspection has come and gone, but the outcome wasn't what you'd hoped. What are the next steps? If social media is anything to go by, an Ofsted inspection remains a source of dread for those who work in schools. While much work has been done by Ofsted – and particularly its national...
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John Viner
28 March 2018

When inspection is not by Ofsted

While the majority of state schools focus on the Ofsted inspection process for their self-evaluation, around a third must also prepare for a separate inspection of their faith character. Ofsted inspection is carried out under sections 5 and 8 of the Education Act 2005, and every headteacher in the...
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Caroline Collins
14 March 2018

GDPR: progress so far and next steps

Not long now until the GDPR comes into force. What progress have we made and how ready are we? In my last post I talked about the work I’ve been doing in school to help us prepare for the GDPR. It feels a little like my life has been taken over by data protection and the GDPR but I confess, quietly...
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Caroline Collins
24 January 2018

GDPR: how schools can prepare

Time is ticking, and in just a few months all organisations need to ensure they comply with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). What should you be doing to make sure your school is ready? In the first of three blog posts, I’m going to look at how your school can prepare. I first heard...
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Dai Durbridge
18 January 2018

GDPR: your questions answered

We were inundated with questions at our recent GDPR conference. Browne Jacobson lawyer Dai Durbridge answers the most popular ones. 1. What are the implications of staff working remotely with access to confidential information? There is no reason why staff cannot continue to access personal and...
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John Viner
16 January 2018

Another year, another education secretary

Unexpected departures and new arrivals at the DfE have brought the future of government education policy into question. Just as the profession was developing a good working relationship with a new secretary of state for education, we looked up and, instead of Justine Greening, found Damian Hinds...
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