The differential improvement of schools causing concern in England

Abstract

Schools causing concern in England are identified systematically through external inspection. The subsequent changes in the performance of most of these schools illuminate issues of school effectiveness and improvement. For over ten years, the relative effectiveness of all schools in England has been assessed and reported publicly (see www.ofsted.gov.uk/publications). This has been achieved through periodic inspections (external evaluations), now in their third cycle, and the annual publication of school performance data, particularly test and examination results. The legislation1 that provided for regular inspection of schools and reporting of results reflected both a political desire to give parents greater information on which to exercise school choice, and the perceived need for greater accountability of schools that are largely autonomous as a result of delegated financial management