Good Schools Becoming Outstanding PDF

LITERATURE REVIEW
To the next level: good schools

becoming outstanding
Research report
Peter Dougill
Mike Raleigh
Roy Blatchford
Lyn Fryer
Dr Carol Robinson
John Richmond
To the next level: good schools becoming outstanding
Welcome to CfBT Education Trust

CfBT Education Trust is a top 50 charity providing education services for public benefit in the UK
and internationally. Established 40 years ago, CfBT Education Trust now has an annual turnover
exceeding 100 million and employs 2,300 staff worldwide who support educational reform, teach,
advise, research and train.
Since we were founded, we have worked in more than 40 countries around the world. Our work
involves teacher and leadership training, curriculum design and school improvement services. The
majority of staff provide services direct to learners: in nurseries, schools and academies; through
projects for excluded pupils; in young offender institutions; and in advice and guidance centres for
young people.
We have worked successfully to implement reform programmes for governments throughout the
world. Government clients in the UK include the Department for Education (DfE), the Office for
Standards in Education, Childrens Services and Skills (Ofsted), and local authorities. Internationally,
we work with educational ministries in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Singapore among many others.
Surpluses generated by our operations are reinvested in educational research and development.
Our research programme Evidence for Education aims to improve educational practice on the
ground and widen access to research in the UK and overseas.
Visit www.cfbt.com for more information.
Welcome to Owen Education

Owen Education is a consultancy led by Peter Dougill and Mike Raleigh. It specialises in evaluation
and review in education and childrens services.
The views and opinions expressed in this publication are

those of the authors and do not necessarily represent
the views of CfBT Education Trust.
Copyright CfBT 2011
Contents
About the authors
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Executive summary
1. Review of research
2. Lessons from Ofsted
10
3. What schools tell us
14
Case study 1: 1116 Church of England mixed comprehensive
16
Case study 2: 1119 mixed community comprehensive
18
Case study 3: large 1116 mixed community comprehensive
20
Case study 4: 1118 mixed comprehensive
22
Case study 5: 1118 mixed multi-ethnic comprehensive
24
Case study 6: 1116 voluntary-aided co-educational school
26
Case study 7: 1116 community comprehensive
28
Case study 8: 1118 comprehensive
30
4. Conclusions
32
5. Appendix 1 Examples of criteria for outstanding and

good Ofsted judgements
34
References
36
About the authors

Peter Dougill is a former HMI and local authority chief inspector; Mike Raleigh is a former HMI
and deputy chief education officer; Roy Blatchford is a former HMI and experienced secondary
headteacher; and Lyn Fryer, an Owen associate, was previously a secondary headteacher and
now specialises in the development of secondary schools. Dr Carol Robinson is Senior Research
Fellow in the Education Research Centre at Brighton University.
Acknowledgements
This research was led for Owen Education by Peter Dougill. Dr Carol Robinson researched the
existing literature about outstanding schools. Roy Blatchford and Lynn Fryer undertook the visits
to the sample schools. The team is very grateful to the headteachers and other staff at the schools
they visited for their willingness to reflect on and share their experience of the journey from good
to outstanding and to John Richmond who edited the report.
Introduction
Most schools are
already good;
we want to make
sure that they
have inspiring
opportunities
to support
their ongoing
development.
For some time now in the UK, close attention has been given to schools, especially secondary
schools, facing particular challenges in raising attainment. Initiatives have drawn extensively
on research into change processes and into the broader principles of school improvement.
Additionally, the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) (since May 2010 renamed
the Department for Education DfE), the UK government department responsible for education in
England, has focused on underachieving (coasting) schools, articulating its approach through the
Gaining Ground programme (DCSF, 2008).
Policy makers attention has more recently turned to how to achieve great schools: Most schools
are already good; we want to make sure that they have inspiring opportunities to support their
ongoing development (DCSF 2009c). The issue is critical not only for individual schools, which
want to be as effective as they can be, but because the role of outstanding schools as change
agents for others is increasingly being recognised by policy makers across the political spectrum.
The research that this report documents has been designed to analyse the processes by which
good schools move on to be outstanding. The issues addressed are:
To what extent is an understanding of what is involved in being an outstanding school fully
articulated and shared?
What are the implications of the criteria used by Ofsted (the Office for Standards in Education,
Childrens Services and Skills), the agency responsible for the inspection of schools in England,
as part of its inspection framework to judge schools as outstanding?
What are the common features of leadership, organisation and culture which help good schools
in their journey towards categorisation as outstanding?
What is the story of those schools which have moved to the next level and what are the obstacles
facing those schools still on the journey?
What kinds of support (including collaboration with other schools) are most effective in achieving
the transformation?
How best can knowledge and practice of the journey from good to outstanding be shared,
transferred or created anew in a variety of contexts?
The research took place in spring and summer 2010, a period which saw a change of government
in the UK and subsequent changes in education policy. The policy change which bears down most
obviously on this piece of work has been the decision to offer all schools in England judged by
Ofsted to be outstanding the opportunity to apply for academy status. This status brings with it a
number of freedoms, together with an uncoupling from local authority control.
The project involved:
a desk study of processes described or implied in recent research, inspection and school
improvement literature
the identification of noteworthy practice in local good to outstanding projects
visits to and other contacts with local authorities and schools, to carry out structured interviews
the production of case studies, eight of which are recorded in this report, that capture the narratives
of change, the problems schools have encountered, their resolution and their outcomes.
Executive summary
Outstanding
schools insist on
excellence in the
quality of classroom
teaching, and have
systems in place
which mean that
leaders know the
strengths and
weaknesses of all
the teaching staff.
Evidence gathered from the range of sources consulted during the course of this project can be
summarised as follows.
In outstanding schools, leadership is inspirational in providing clear vision and direction. Leaders
who take a school from good to outstanding focus on: raising attainment and accelerating
progress; improving the quality of teaching and learning; improving the conditions for learning; and
developing the school as a professional learning community.
Outstanding schools place high expectations on all their students. They have a broad range of curricula
to engage and support students, personalised to accommodate individual aptitudes and needs.
Outstanding schools insist on excellence in the quality of classroom teaching, and have systems
in place which mean that leaders know the strengths and weaknesses of all the teaching staff.
They operate an evidence-based approach to what is happening in classrooms. If staff teach less
than very well, arrangements are in place to offer support. At the same time, outstanding schools
have a relaxed collegiate culture in which teaching and classroom management ideas are shared
unselfishly and problems acknowledged without fear of blame.
One of the key indicators of school effectiveness, firmly in place in outstanding schools, is the
setting of challenging targets and the good use of arrangements for assessing and tracking pupils
progress. These arrangements are supported by sophisticated information technology to which all
relevant staff have access.
Outstanding schools are highly inclusive, having regard for the educational progress, personal
development and well-being of every student. They prove that socio-economic disadvantage need not be
a barrier to achievement. Speaking English as an additional language can support academic success.
Senior leaders make sure that the professional development of all staff, teaching and non-teaching, is
relevant, continuous and of high quality. Most of this professional development takes place in school.
Building and retaining links with parents and local communities is integral to raising aspirations and
ambitions for children in outstanding schools. They are also broad in their outlook, for example by
having links with schools in other countries. Outstanding schools may well take on a responsibility
to support other schools which need to improve.
A key difference between being a good school and being an outstanding school involves going
beyond tight quality controls towards the quality assurance of a self-confident, self-critical community
in which learning is interactive and permanent.
Based on the experience of the schools visited in this study, good schools seeking to be outstanding
would be well advised to study closely the comparative criteria for good and outstanding
judgements in Ofsteds inspections framework. They may want to set up working groups to plan
how to get from good to outstanding across all the areas which an Ofsted inspection covers.
They may also want to study reports on schools which have already been judged outstanding and
apply lessons learned from those reports to their own context. Visiting schools recently judged
outstanding is likely to be of particular value.
1. Review of research
Highly effective
schools have high
aspirations for
each child and
believe that all
children can and
should achieve at
least the agreed
minimum standard
for each key stage.
Sources
Initial desk research was undertaken to identify existing knowledge around how secondary schools
in England move from being good to becoming outstanding. The review searched written and
web-based literature published by a number of organisations, including CfBT Education Trust,
the DCSF (now the DfE) the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA), and Ofsted.
Electronic searches of a variety of databases and manual searches of books were also conducted.
Only literature relating to mainstream secondary schools and published post-2002 was explored.
Preference was given to literature relating to secondary education within England.
The evidence from the desk review is presented in this chapter. Chapter 2 explores the lessons
that can be learnt from independent evaluation of a schools effectiveness, and a diagnosis of
what it should do to improve.
To explore this subject more fully, eight case studies were undertaken to understand the journeys
that good schools have taken in becoming outstanding. Chapter 3 of this research paper reports
on each of the case study schools, identifying the key messages about their improvement journey.
Characteristics of outstanding schools

The characteristics of outstanding schools, as detailed in the literature, can be divided into six
categories:
1.
upil learning and behaviour, including personalisation of learning, high expectations,

P
individualised support and inclusion
In outstanding schools, high expectations are placed on students. These schools have a
broad range of packages tailored to fit students needs and the school context.
Key indicators of school effectiveness include staff providing stimuli, challenge and pace in
facilitating students learning, and students voices being listened to and acted upon by the
school. Highly effective schools have high aspirations for each child and believe that all children
can and should achieve at least the agreed minimum standard for each key stage (CfBT, 2009).
Hopkins (2007) considers that for a school to be a great school there needs to be a move from
standardised provision with uncontrolled variation in quality, to personalised provision based on
consistently high quality, with variations controlled and actively tailored to individual students
needs and aspirations. He considers a common feature of strategies for raising achievement
in schools to be the intelligent use of assessment data, progress-tracking, target-setting and
provision of support for students who are slipping behind.
2.
chool leadership and vision, including reflection, monitoring and effective governance
S
School leadership is inspirational in providing clear vision and direction in outstanding schools.
At the heart of all good to outstanding schools is good leadership and the support for, and
development of, good and outstanding leaders is crucial to school improvement. (CfBT, 2009)
Outstanding schools know themselves well and evaluate their provision and performance in a
robust and inclusive manner.
A relevant and
attractive curriculum
reduces behaviour
problems
West-Burnham (2009) writes that those aspiring to be outstanding headteachers should

develop the following:
moral confidence based on deeply held personal beliefs
significant relationships with a wide network of fellow professionals
a real understanding of how to learn from experience
a willingness to learn from students
clarity and confidence about what works in terms of professional learning
openness to learning from the example of other school leaders
confidence in learning how to learn.
Effective school self-evaluation has the following characteristics:
robust and comprehensive analysis and interpretation of performance data across all Every
Child Matters outcomes (Every Child Matters is a set of policies and aspirations published by
the DCSF in 2003, partly in response to a widely-publicised child-abuse case, which aims to
join up the efforts of all agencies, including schools, responsible for childrens achievement
and well-being)
appropriate target-setting, tracking and intervention strategies, that at any given point can
give an accurate picture of the progress of individual children across all areas of development
effective systems for collecting and analysing the views of key stakeholders, including children,
their families, the range of the childrens workforce and the wider community, together with
mechanisms for addressing the outcomes in a schools improvement or development plan
clear systems for judging the quality of teaching and its impact on learning, together with
focused workforce development strategies to improve the skills and impact of the workforce
dynamic improvement planning which focuses on the key actions to be taken to address
areas for development, is based on a clear link between activity and impact, and is constantly
reframed in the light of evidence of impact (CfBT, 2009).
3. Teaching, the curriculum and assessment
A relevant and attractive curriculum reduces behaviour problems, and outstanding schools
work to develop curricula which engage and support all their students (Ofsted, 2009b).
The professional attributes of excellent teachers are outlined in a report from the TDA
(TDA, 2007). The report considers that excellent teachers should:
be willing to take a leading role in developing workplace policies and practice and in
promoting collective responsibility for their implementation
research and evaluate innovative practices and draw on research outcomes and other
sources of external evidence to inform their own practice and that of colleagues
have a critical understanding of the most effective teaching, learning and behaviourmanagement strategies, including how to select and use approaches that personalise
learning to provide opportunities for all learners to achieve their potential
know how to improve the effectiveness of assessment practice in the workplace, including
how to analyse statistical information to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching and learning
across the school
In terms of
assessment, one of
the key indicators of
school effectiveness
is the setting
of challenging
targets
have an extensive and deep knowledge and understanding of their subjects/curriculum

areas and related pedagogy, gained for example through involvement in wider professional
networks associated with their subjects/curriculum areas
have extensive knowledge on matters concerning equality, inclusion and diversity in teaching
have teaching skills which lead to excellent results and outcomes
demonstrate excellent and innovative pedagogic practice
demonstrate excellent ability to assess and evaluate.
Similar attributes are identified in the characteristics of Advanced Skills Teachers (DCSF,
2009a). (Advanced Skills Teachers are classroom teachers who have attained the highest
level on a performance management structure in operation in schools in England.)
In terms of assessment, one of the key indicators of school effectiveness is the setting of
challenging targets and the good use of arrangements for assessing and tracking pupils
progress to raise standards (CfBT, 2009). Hopkins (2007) acknowledges the importance of
personalised learning if pupils are to fulfil their potential: the most powerful lever we can pull
at the moment to achieve personalised learning is assessment for learning.
4. Continuing professional development of teachers
Outstanding schools take very seriously the induction and continuing professional
development of their workforce. In particular, they develop systems for identifying the needs
and aspirations of the different parts of the workforce, including effective performance
management, appraisal and reflection against professional and occupational standards
(CfBT, 2009).
5. Relationships within school and with those outside school, including support services
Building and retaining links with parents and local communities is integral to raising
aspirations and ambitions for children in outstanding schools. Evidence suggests that
parental engagement outstrips every other single factor including social class, ethnicity and
disability in its impact on attainment (DCSF, 2009b).
Harris and Lambert (2003) stress that in order to improve and sustain improvement over time,
schools need to build and nurture the sense of a professional learning community. In the
most effective schools, there is evidence of positive relationships both within and outside the
school. A key indicator for school effectiveness relates to schools maximising the use of local
integrated childrens services (CfBT, 2009).
6. School culture, ethos and values
Outstanding schools demonstrate a positive overall ethos and consistently promote
community cohesion (CfBT, 2009).
Harris and Lambert (2003) suggest that schools which improve continuously invest in the life
of the school as a learning community, where members are constantly striving to seek new
ways of improving their practice. School improvement is a process of changing a schools
culture. To create sustainable school improvement, there must first be an understanding of
the culture that exists in the school; secondly, the right decisions must be taken on strategies
for change and development to match the schools particular context.
four key themes The move from good to outstanding

are identified as
Literature relating to factors which help move a school from being judged good to being judged
necessary for taking
outstanding is very limited. The most useful sources are reviewed here.
a school forward
In the presentation Taking your School from Good to Outstanding (London Borough of Camden,
2008) four key themes are identified as necessary for taking a school forward: raising attainment
and accelerating progress; improving the quality of teaching and learning; improving the conditions
for learning; and developing the school as a professional learning community. The presentation
also mentions the importance of made to measure plans to raise attainment, and of pupil-tracking
linked to expectations. It emphasises the significance of a range of analyses of assessment for
learning, designed to support schools in using assessment information to improve and plan
provision, as well as to improve the quality of the assessment programme itself. It considers the
following to be of importance: pupil-progress meetings using recent tracking data; the targeting of
particular groups and students; and professional development meetings giving opportunities for
staff to reflect on current practice.
Thornley (Association of School and College Leaders, 2010) recommends using the space
between his summaries of Ofsteds definitions of good and outstanding lessons as the directionfinder for moving from one to the other:
My starting point is to adapt the Ofsted definition of a good lesson. In summary, this defines
a good lesson as one in which:
All students make satisfactory progress; most make good progress.
Most know what they are doing and why.
Students behave well little time is lost to behavioural issues.
The classroom is a friendly and safe place relationships are good.
The teacher knows his/her subject and strategies for teaching it well; the teaching methods
used are appropriate for the content.
The teaching is well matched to the learners needs; most are stretched by the teaching.
The teacher encourages and praises frequently.
Available resources (time, staff etc.) are well used.
Assessment is regular and supports progress most students know what they need to do
to improve.
Ive then tried to do the same thing for an outstanding lesson An outstanding lesson is one in
which all, or nearly all, of the features of a good lesson are present, plus some of the following:
A All students are challenged and make good progress, especially those at the ends of the
ability range and those who lack confidence; some make exceptional progress; a lot of
ground is covered in the lesson but stragglers are not left by the wayside.
B Enthusiasm and enjoyment pervade the classroom.
C The teaching is exciting and interesting (for example, through use of stimulating resources
or other adults in the lesson); it may be inspired, although it doesnt have to be.
Excellent school
leadership is, in no
small part, about
rigorously enforcing
the basics
D All the students are involved in the lesson and all contribute in some form.
E Teaching methods are very well matched to the content and to the learners some may
be original or innovative; for example, content closely linked to students experiences or to
interesting practical situations.
F The teacher checks progress throughout the lesson; assessment is regular and helpful.
G Students evaluate their own and others progress accurately and constructively.
H All students know how to improve as a result of regular and constructive feedback; where
appropriate this is linked to national criteria or examination requirements.
I The teacher develops students basic and other cross-curricular skills, for example
literacy, numeracy, independent learning and PSHE.
J Students have easy access to, and make use of, additional resources which they use
independently to support or enhance their learning.
K Students go out of their way to help each other; they provide mutual support.
L The classroom is a lively and interesting place; it includes good displays of students work
(representing all abilities), things which give a subject-specific flavour to the room, and
annotated examples of levelled work used to support learning.
Outstanding leadership is essential to enable the transition from a coasting or good school to an
outstanding one. Excellent school leadership is, in no small part, about rigorously enforcing the
basics: good behaviour and discipline, a culture of excellence, an effective curriculum, and firstclass teaching in every classroom. (Adonis, 2008)
In schools where the development of an ethos based around mutual respect and a language of
respect has been actively encouraged through the UNICEF Rights Respecting Schools Award,
there is evidence of improved student behaviour, greater engagement in learning, and better
relationships within and between students and staff (Sebba and Robinson, 2009).
According to the Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement (Center for CSRI,
2009) the best school improvement plans are not rigid prescriptions for day-to-day action, but
rather guides for ongoing improvements in critical areas. An effective plan sets forth action steps,
establishes timelines, and identifies outcome measures to monitor and evaluate success. If a
plan is to become a key resource and guide for school improvement, then it must be crafted and
owned by all of the stakeholders teachers, support staff, school leaders, students, families,
district officials, community members and business organisations.
2. Lessons from Ofsted

The Ofsted inspection system: background
An outstanding
school shows a
consistently high
quality of teaching
and learning in the
great majority of its
classrooms.
An Ofsted inspection is designed to provide an independent external evaluation of a schools

effectiveness, and a diagnosis of what it should do to improve. Ofsted inspectors make judgements
and grade a schools performance within three main areas, which are then sub-divided
more specifically: outcomes for students; the effectiveness of the schools provision; and the
effectiveness of the schools leadership and management. Elements within each of these areas
are graded as outstanding, good, satisfactory or inadequate (Ofsted, 2010b). A grade for a
schools overall effectiveness, combining the judgements made in the three areas, is also awarded.
Ofsted has clear criteria for judging schools as outstanding, good, satisfactory or inadequate, in
the three areas. (Examples of the criteria for judging a school outstanding or good in each of the
specific sub-divisions of the three areas appear in Appendix 1.)
An outstanding judgement is only given when a school, having fulfilled all the criteria for a
good judgement, has in addition demonstrated sustainable excellence in, for example: quality
of teaching; pupil autonomy in learning; confident self-critical ongoing review of the schools
achievements and development needs by its leaders; and sophisticated and mutually profitable
communications links between the school and the wider community it serves. It is possible for
schools even in the most challenging socio-economic circumstances to be judged as outstanding.
Advice by experienced school inspectors suggests that a productive way for a good school to
advance to a prospective outstanding judgement is to consider the difference between parallel
sets of criteria for the two levels, and to plan, in specific matters, how it can move its sustainable
performance towards the outstanding criteria.
An outstanding school shows a consistently high quality of teaching and learning in the great
majority of its classrooms. In outstanding lessons, all the students make progress. These lessons
are carefully planned and work is pitched appropriately for all ability levels. Communication of
successful practice between colleagues is normal. Students are involved in the assessment of
their own and other students work, and approaches to assessment are consistent across the
school. The school has consistent policies and practices on behaviour management and on the
support and evaluation of students social development. The school communicates frequently and
fully with parents.
The Ofsted inspection system: judgements

During the last cycle of Ofsted inspections of maintained schools in England, which started in
September 2005, there was a steady annual increase in the proportion of good and outstanding
schools. Between September 2008 and August 2009, 1,071 inspections of maintained secondary
schools were conducted. 22% of the schools were judged outstanding, 41% good, 31%
satisfactory and 6% inadequate (Ofsted, 2009a).
10
disadvantage
need not be
a barrier to
achievement
Characteristics of twelve outstanding schools

Twelve Outstanding Secondary Schools Excelling against the Odds (Ofsted, 2009b) reports
on secondary schools which serve disadvantaged communities and have achieved an Ofsted
judgement of outstanding in two or more consecutive inspections. The following characteristics
were considered to be present within these schools:
The schools excel at what they do, not just occasionally but for a high proportion of the time.
They prove constantly that disadvantage need not be a barrier to achievement, that speaking
English as an additional language can support academic success, and that schools really can
be learning communities.
They put students first, invest in their staff and nurture their communities.
They have strong values and high expectations that are applied consistently and never relaxed.
They fulfil individual potential through providing outstanding teaching, rich opportunities for
learning, and encouragement and support for each student.
They are highly inclusive, having regard for the educational progress, personal development and
well-being of every student.
Their achievements do not happen by chance, but through highly reflective, carefully planned
and thoroughly implemented strategies which serve them well in meeting the many obstructions
in the path to success.
They operate with a very high degree of internal consistency.
They are constantly looking for ways to improve further.
They have outstanding and well distributed leadership.
Ofsteds recommendations
Here is a selection of recommendations in Ofsted inspection reports on individual schools about
actions that good schools should take to improve further.
In teaching, learning and assessment:
Increase the proportion of lessons in which teaching and learning are at least good; strengthen
further teachers skills in questioning and other assessment strategies, and increase the level of
challenge to students wherever possible.
Make teaching and learning more consistent across the school by finding opportunities to
disseminate best practice, thereby improving students involvement in their learning.
[Ensure] that students know what they must do to improve.
[Make] greater use of differentiation in lesson planning and delivery, and greater use of teacher
marking and assessment to help students know their next steps in making progress.
Make assessment and marking practice more consistent across the school in order to give
better feedback to students on their progress.
11
Share the best practice evident in involving students in assessing their own progress and
In outstanding
defining ways forward so that it becomes standard practice.
lessons you would
expect all students Ensure that all teachers consistently apply good practice, especially in marking.
to have moved
Build on the work done so far in improving provision in ICT; improve systems for assessment
and extend the use of ICT across the curriculum.
forward
In behaviour and personal development:
Improve behaviour by ensuring that behaviour management procedures are applied in all lessons.
Ensure the monitoring and evaluation of students personal development is used to check the
impact of the schools work and refine it further.
In leadership and management, and communications with the schools wider community:
Improve relationships between the governing body and the senior leadership team.
Build on existing good relationships with parents to improve further the channels of communication
and their contribution to school life by: producing regular newsletters; encouraging greater awareness
and use of the school website, which should include a parents area; expanding and regenerating
the parents association; and improving response rates to all concerns and queries from parents.
Good and outstanding lessons: one inspectors views

Clare Gillies, a former Ofsted inspector and more recently a contributor to the Teachers TV series
From Good to Outstanding, offers this distinction between the two terms (Gillies, 2007):
In a good lesson the majority of students will certainly make progress In outstanding
lessons you would expect all students to have moved forward An accepted understanding of
outstanding compared to good is that all students in a class have made at least the amount
of progress you would expect in a lesson.
She observes that an outstanding lesson has:
a quality of such interest that you want to be a pupil yourself, you find yourself enjoying the
lesson just as much as the students clearly are
Students in an outstanding lesson:
have a rapport with the teacher where they are learning together. Its exciting and theres an
ingredient thats hard to quantify. You can feel it in the atmosphere. Whoever is in the room is
carried along with the interest, the stimulus and the content of the lesson
The vast majority of outstanding lessons:
will have been very carefully planned, and the resources will be right for what that lesson is
covering So a teachers planning and thinking-through what the students are to learn and to
get out of the lesson have to be key ingredients of an outstanding lesson
12
Gillies stresses the importance of pitching the work at an appropriate level for the learners:
A lesson may have all the ingredients of outstanding in its atmosphere and level of interest
and excitement but if work isnt pitched appropriately for all ability levels then the depth of their
learning will be lacking. Looking at the lesson as a whole, if not everyone has learned enough
or made enough progress during that particular lesson, it cannot be outstanding.
13
3. What schools tell us

hen the schools
W
received a good
Ofsted inspection
judgement,
they saw the
achievement of
outstanding as the
natural next step.
This section reports on the experience of eight secondary schools which have moved from good
to outstanding. The accounts describe the decisions and actions which have driven the schools
progress. First, a summary brings together the features common to most or all of the schools
individual stories.
1. There is no substitute for an evidence-based approach to what is happening in classrooms.
Senior staff did not engage in anecdotal talk about, say, an under-performing head of
department, because the senior team had clear and systematic evidence, rooted in regular
lesson observations and teachers own self-evaluations, on how all staff were performing
in classrooms.
2. When the schools received a good Ofsted inspection judgement, they saw the achievement
of outstanding as the natural next step. Senior leaders asked all staff to read the reports on
schools which had already been judged outstanding. Staff then committed themselves to
ensuring that the same kind of phrases they had been reading in outstanding reports could, in
time, be readily written about their own school.
3. The schools placed great emphasis on the importance of everyone in the school knowing and
understanding the language of the Ofsted framework. Professional development sessions
ensured that all teaching and support staff gained a strong grasp of the difference between
Ofsteds good and outstanding judgements, whether in relation to teaching and learning,
personal development or community cohesion.
4. Schools on the journey from good to outstanding used the Self-Evaluation Form (available
online from Ofsted, together with guidance on its use) as a key document. Different groups
of staff were asked to focus on particular sections of the framework, alongside the Ofsted
criteria, reviewing which aspects of practice needed to improve in order to cross the boundary
from a grade two (good) to a grade one (outstanding).
5. Senior leaders in schools tried to climb inside the inspectors skin. Leaders sought to share
with all staff how the inspection process works, making it clear that inspectors are trained to
focus on students learning and progress as well as on quality of teaching.
6. Headteachers placed great store by how well they managed to create in schools a sense of
urgency at the right time. They recognised that not everything can be achieved at the same
time, but that staff could shift gear for a sustained period if there was a collective ambition to
improve the school. Equally, leaders at all levels believed that if change was worth introducing,
there was no virtue in waiting until a notionally convenient point in the calendar, say the start of
the following term. If students experiences could be improved sooner, then the school should
change its practices without delay.
7. Headteachers and governors believed in a no surprises culture and the importance of
embedded systems that alerted staff to students at risk of under-achieving. Complementing
the organisational systems across the school was an open, trusting culture, in which staff
knew that success was applauded and failure supportively attended to, rather than blamed.
14
One headteacher
observed: You
have to tighten up
to be good. You
loosen to become
outstanding.
8. Headteachers focused on eliminating in-school variation, or at least reaching a point where

this had been reduced to an absolute minimum. One headteacher still striving for the school
to be judged outstanding made his mantra for the academic year: Lets all have a good year
at the same time.
9. A number of schools commented that a key feature of the journey from good to outstanding
was the significant number of staff working on external agendas, sometimes linked to
training-school status. These schools enjoyed partnerships with other schools and education
providers; their staff were constantly bringing good ideas back into their classrooms from
external sources. One headteacher described the outstanding school to be one which is,
naturally and in all that it practises, an outward-facing school.
10. Headteachers insisted that communication of the highest quality, modelled by senior leaders,
was at the heart of an outstanding school. Such communication always anticipated staffs
and students interests and concerns, so that the school was not side-tracked by rumour and
unproductive anxiety.
11. Some headteachers felt that creating a we not I culture lay at the heart of great schools.
Senior leaders set out genuinely to see the best in people and to dwell on the positive, while
at the same time being single-minded in rooting out mediocrity.
12. Governors considered that an outstanding school is one in which everyone feels that they
are making a contribution. In personal and professional terms, all students and staff believe
they have a next step to make within the institution, and that the institution supports, values
and celebrates these next steps. Governing bodies believed that their role is to intervene if
required, but is principally to ensure that the senior leadership team does not digress from its
core activities.
13. A number of headteachers cited the value of external critical friends who could be invited from
time to time to see the school with a fresh pair of eyes. These critical friends validated changes,
championed great practice and pointed out where there was room for improvement.
14. Of the journey to outstanding, one headteacher observed: You have to tighten up to be good.
You loosen to become outstanding. He was describing the process by which high levels of
quality control, securing good provision, evolve into yet higher levels of quality assurance, so
that a whole-school culture of excellence is created in which teachers and students alike feel
empowered to take measured risks.
15
For a number
of years now, all
judgements on the
quality of teaching
and learning have
been rooted in an
extensive evidence
base
Case study 1: 1116 Church of England mixed comprehensive

Context
The school is an 1116 Church of England urban mixed comprehensive with just under 1,000
students on roll. The proportion of students from minority ethnic groups is below that found in most
schools, while the proportion of students with special educational needs is above average. The
school has specialist status for the performing arts, and holds several other awards in recognition of
its work. Students standards are high across a range of subjects taken at GCSE (General Certificate
of Secondary Education the main examination taken by students in Year 11 in schools in England
and Wales). The school moved from satisfactory, to good, to outstanding in successive Ofsted
inspections. The headteacher has been in post for 12 years.
The journey to outstanding
The school had experienced a number of years in which students outcomes had bumped along in
line with national averages; it was a satisfactory school in Ofsted terms. Despite a range of initiatives
with students, the school felt as though it was in a rut of doing the usual school improvement things
but not having significant impact on students attainment. Stirred by the realisation that the school
was being watched by outside agencies, the senior team attended a national seminar and sensed
amongst themselves a key golden moment of needing to change practices. They refocused all the
schools development work on three things: students achievements, teaching and learning, and
leadership and management.
Curriculum and achievement
The school harnessed its Church of England status to promote amongst students and staff a set
of core values, which had been implicit rather than explicit. Firstly, a love of learning was promoted
in words and actions across the school. Secondly, care and respect for self and for others became
a touchstone for interactions between students and staff. Thirdly, success and its celebration
underpinned daily practice and whole-school systems. Students achievements were valued
increasingly as much as their attainment. Year on year, after seeking students views, the attractive
curriculum offer was more sharply tailored to students varying needs, while extra-curricular
provision saw a significant broadening. Bespoke timetabling to meet particular examination
needs in year 11 played a big part in raising outcomes, as did a programme of Saturday morning
enrichment for GCSE students. Students now speak with passion about achievements in the
performing arts. Achievement across the curriculum is now exceptional for all groups, and those
with learning difficulties attain higher standards than would normally be expected.
Teaching and learning
The school had experienced variation between subject departments for many years. The senior
team was determined to introduce a systematic approach to the monitoring and evaluation of
classroom teaching, removing the anecdotal. Staff welcomed the opportunity to provide rich
sources of evidence to the performance management process. For a number of years now, all
judgements on the quality of teaching and learning have been rooted in an extensive evidence
base: full lesson observations by colleagues and line managers; drop-ins by senior staff; external
observations; work samples; marking and homework; and teachers self-evaluations. Ofsted
described this approach as exemplary, particularly the senior teams rigorous and supportive
approach to full and drop-in lesson observations and to the development of a well judged coaching
programme for all teachers.
16
Through visits to
other schools, staff
at all levels came
to understand
what outstanding
looks like.
As time has gone by, the school has adopted intervention in inverse proportion to success
across the school, with the most successful departments being the least monitored. Interestingly,
these high-performing departments see regular mutual observation in classrooms as fundamental
to their sustained successes. The leaders of these subject areas place significant store by the
quality of regular assessment for learning, alongside the promotion of independent learning
amongst their students.
Leadership and management
The sources of evidence upon which to build opportunities for future great classroom experiences
constituted one cornerstone of the schools move from good to outstanding. Equally important
was its determination to know what outstanding looks like. Senior staff led sessions in which
staff studied the reports of schools which had been judged outstanding by Ofsted. There was a
united determination to understand the Ofsted criteria and to aspire to have key phrases from the
outstanding criteria applied to all aspects of the schools provision. This was accompanied by
skillful work on the schools Self-Evaluation Form. Research and development groups worked on
different aspects of the form, examining which areas of the schools practice needed to improve in
order to cross grade boundaries from two to one. Through visits to other schools, staff at all levels
came to understand what outstanding looks like. They felt comfortable with a culture of relentless
monitoring to reach that goal.
This is a school in which each member of the leadership team has published work-plan objectives,
for which he or she is accountable to the rest of the team as part of the performance-management
framework. The team has a clearly structured approach to data management. To ensure consistency
and in order to spread best practice, a deputy headteacher line-manages all heads of department,
in pairs and trios. A climate of consistent and supportive accountability is underpinned by four
governors committees. Of the journey overall from satisfactory to outstanding, the headteacher
identifies his pivotal role in moving from quality-control practices to a quality-assurance role. Crucially,
the school thinks in terms of possibilities, not limitations, for the students.
Key messages
Do things differently, not just more of the same.
A few priorities at any one time.
An evidence-based approach to what is happening in classrooms.
Intervention takes place in inverse proportion to success.
Establish the ethos that ensures moral purpose counts.
17
The headteacher
describes the
journey as a
long and winding
road, with lots of
mistakes on the
way but fun and
rewarding.
Case study 2: 1119 mixed community comprehensive

Context
The school is an 1119 mixed community comprehensive with about 1,000 students, serving a
large rural town and surrounding area. It has specialist status in engineering and runs an extensive
programme of family, adult and community learning courses. A smaller-than-average proportion
of students comes from minority ethnic backgrounds, and the numbers of students with learning
difficulties are lower than average. Students standards are high across a range of GCSE subjects.
The school moved from good to outstanding in successive Ofsted inspections. The headteacher
has been in post for 15 years.
The school has served its students and local community well for many years, and Ofsted recognised
these achievements when judging provision as good. At that point, the headteacher shared a vision
and determination with the staff that a following Ofsted inspection in three years time would see the
school judged outstanding. This moment coincided with the school undertaking a major review of
its staffing structure and curriculum offer, particularly wishing to extend the impact of its specialist
engineering status to all students.
The headteacher describes the journey as a long and winding road, with lots of mistakes on the
way but fun and rewarding. He began by posing the question: Are we going to be good for ever?
He suggested to staff that outstanding did not mean perfection, and asked: what were the extra
steps the school needed to take? There was a shared understanding that there would be no quick
fix, but that a tipping point could be reached.
Staff felt that improving the curriculum map was a golden key to moving the school to outstanding.
Together with the governors, staff have a very good understanding of their local community and of
how students can best be served. They believed that broadening the curriculum was an important
way to raise the self-esteem and achievement of all students. Harnessing both the engineering
specialism and a second specialism of applied learning, compulsory technology was introduced
for all students at Key Stage 4; this had a significant impact on GCSE results. BTECs (Business
and Technology Education Council qualifications) and vocational Diploma options are highly
popular with students of all abilities. Equally, the range of innovative courses at Key Stage 3, which
value the social aspects of engineering, significantly motivate younger students. The humanities
engineering course for 11 to 14-year-olds has received national recognition. At the same time,
investment and skillful timetabling have ensured that the needs of gifted and talented students
are fully met, enabling some year 9 students to embark on examination courses in statistics and
philosophy and ethics. Students themselves comment on the excellent range of extra-curricular
activities, from cooking and astronomy to languages and music.
For a school of 1,000 students, there is a relatively large leadership team of nine, though all
members of the team have a significant teaching commitment. This commitment to the classroom
is cited by the headteacher as one of the keys to the schools successes. These good and
outstanding senior practitioners model effective practice day in, day out, and set a level of
expectation in classrooms that is infectious. Staff display a culture of self-confidence in relation to
their teaching, but there is no place for merely satisfactory lessons. Wise curriculum planning leads
18
The governing
body has shown
consistent faith
in the schools
leadership team
and has served
to keep the
team focused
on the path of
improvement,
never digressing
from the schools
core business.
to imaginative, well differentiated lesson planning, judiciously monitored by middle managers.

There has been thoughtful harnessing of students voices in evaluating lessons. Data on the
performance of all students is shared between departments and teachers in an affirming climate of
openness. Continuous professional development is embedded into the schools programme, with
ten-minute teaching and learning sessions slotted into staff briefings on a weekly basis. The profile
of the successful classroom is ever present in the schools routines.
The headteachers commitment to being a classroom teacher himself has been an important
dimension to this schools journey. Beyond that, the headteacher sees his role as being the interface
between the school and the community, reminding those outside the school gates just how much
the school and its staff are achieving for their young people. Further, he sees himself leading a
conversations-rich school, where students and staff constantly talk to one other about their
new learning. The organisational culture, which balances great systems and freedom to innovate,
matters profoundly. Members of the leadership team have very specific responsibilities, though
they are emphatically not territorial. Hierarchy is not oppressive. Consistent systems for managing
the behaviour of students permeate, and there is no tolerance of lessons being interrupted.
The headteacher is a believer in a sense of urgency at the right time, making a judgement as to
when the whole institution can afford to step up a gear without imploding. Other staff speak of an
organisational culture in which its never too late to make a change if we think one needs to be
made for the students. There is a restlessness to the schools culture which is productive; it tinkers
when it needs to, it consolidates when it needs to. The headteacher believes that improvement
comes from borrowing the best ideas from other schools and businesses, then weaving them
together to create solutions in the schools own context.
The governing body has shown consistent faith in the schools leadership team and has served
to keep the team focused on the path of improvement, never digressing from the schools core
business. Governors have played a significant role in the growth of the schools community provision
and in the school being seen as a vital source of continuing education.
The headteacher makes a further point about the importance of leading the actual Ofsted inspection
with confidence. The inspection team heard the same messages about standards, progress and
quality assurance wherever they went, and became increasingly convinced that the school was
consistently good, and therefore outstanding according to the framework.
Key messages
Its what happens in classrooms that matters.
Grow your own staff.
Be determined to reach outstanding, and dont be side-tracked by the latest initiative.
Vary routines, keeping everyone on their toes.
Move from quality control to quality assurance along the journey.
Governors can play a significant role.
19
The philosophy of
lifelong education
is embedded in
many aspects of
its provision.
Case study 3: large 1116 mixed community comprehensive

Context
The school is a large 1116 mixed community comprehensive with over 1,300 students, serving
a relatively prosperous rural catchment area. It is expanding to open its own sixth form. The vast
majority of students are from White British backgrounds, and the proportion of students with
special educational needs is broadly average. The school has sports college status and additional
specialisms in language and vocational education, and is also a training school. Staff engage in
a wide range of educational initiatives. The school was judged outstanding by Ofsted in its most
recent inspection. The headteacher has been in post for ten years.
The quality of education at the school has been good for many years. The school has long enjoyed
a strong reputation with local families and serves as a centre for adult and continuing education.
The philosophy of lifelong education is embedded in many aspects of its provision. The schools
drive to become outstanding coincided, for the headteacher, with its expansion in terms of growth of
student numbers and a new building programme, alongside central government initiatives which
enabled secondary schools to develop specialisms. The headteacher believes strongly in developing
excellent systems for the recruitment and retention of high-quality staff, and then growing your
own leaders from within. The school has more recently established itself as an educational trust
with three core threads: the highest standards for all in the community; outward-facing education;
and international dimensions. The headteacher declares that at the core of the schools journey to
outstanding has been the outward-facing personality of all who work in and with it.
Over one third of all GCSEs recorded in recent examinations were A or A* grades, and achievements
across different subject areas are excellent. The senior team believes that the schools outstanding
status is partly owed to the inclusiveness of the curriculum offer for the approximately 10% of
students who do not readily adapt to a traditional mainstream curriculum. Senior staff place great
store by the differentiated Key Stage 4 curriculum, with its wide range of applied courses linked
to the schools specialisms. Individualised pathways serve to motivate potentially disengaged
youngsters, while fast-tracking allows for AS levels in economics and critical thinking to be taken
in year 11. The assistant principal for applied learning leads on the policy whereby all students
follow the Duke of Edinburghs Award scheme from year 9. GCSEs are available from year 9, and
particular innovation in the use of ICT across all departments has served to raise aspirations of
what Key Stage 3 students can achieve. The languages magazine provides one striking example
of how far and wide the students travel to learn from other cultures.
The headteachers reference to the outward-facing personality of the school is especially
pertinent to the raising of the quality of teaching and learning, and to sustaining excellence. The
school is active in a wide range of local, national and international initiatives, which means that
in the course of an academic year almost all teachers have experience of other schools and
settings. They return to their own classrooms having cherry-picked some of the best learning
practices; and the climate of the school expects teachers to innovate and surprise the students in
class. As a result, much of the teaching is inspirational, leading to very high student engagement.
Thirteen of the 80 staff are Advanced Skills Teachers; the headteacher emphasises the key
role these colleagues have played in creating a whole-school culture of high aspiration, mutual
20
This headteacher
rejects any
notion of single
conversations:
I dont want a
single conversation,
I enjoy lots of
conversations,
and thats what
intelligent leadership
is all about.
support and critical self-evaluation. The Advanced Skills Teachers are at the heart of a system of
peer-observation which has created an open-door approach to teachers visiting one anothers
classrooms to see which creative teaching techniques are effective with which students. In moving
to outstanding, the school has preserved strong systems while seeking to place performance
management within a wider professional context, so that lesson observations are routine and
developmental rather than anything for teachers to be anxious about. Excellent teaching and
learning are givens.
In reflecting on leadership and management across the school, the headteacher returns again and
again to his belief that a significant number of staff working on external agendas has the effect of
stimulating an appetite to move things on. Thus leadership constantly reinterprets and refreshes
how the schools specialisms are operating, and seeks to be part of new national agendas as
they appear relevant to the needs of students. The headteacher asserts: that strong values and
unambiguous, accessible systems are essential to any outstanding school; that success comes
from securing the right people and then investing in them; and that outward-facing partnerships
bring a natural dynamic to the institution so that it cannot stagnate.
The governors have long-standing associations with the school and, importantly, understand and
shape its values and ambitions. They reserve the right to intervene when they need to, but see
their key role as enabling the leadership team to focus on its core work and not digress.
When the School Improvement Partner strategy was first launched (by the DCSF in 2005, to
challenge and support school leaders in assessing how well their schools are performing and
to help them plan for the future), the proposed model was of a single conversation. Tellingly,
this headteacher rejects any notion of single conversations: I dont want a single conversation,
I enjoy lots of conversations, and thats what intelligent leadership is all about. How you harness
your informal and formal networks makes a real difference in improving a school. Perhaps most
illuminating about the schools journey from good to outstanding and its ability to sustain high
performance at all levels is the headteachers summative statement: You have to tighten up to be
good. You need to loosen to become outstanding.
Key messages
Appoint good people and grow your own leaders.
Harness and shape passing initiatives.
Enable teachers to work outside the school.
Outstanding is about what you do for children on the margins.
Move from quality control to quality assurance.
21
Striking new
buildings combine
contemporary
design with
practicality, so the
ethos is a judicious
mix of innovation
and traditional
values.
Case study 4: 1118 mixed comprehensive

Context
The school is an 1118 mixed comprehensive with 1,300 students, with a large sixth form of over
400, serving an urban community. The majority of students are White British; the proportion of
students with learning difficulties is below average. The school has several achievement awards,
including those for Healthy Schools and Eco School. Specialisms include technology, vocational
and sports. The school has training-school status. Striking new buildings combine contemporary
design with practicality, so the ethos is a judicious mix of innovation and traditional values. The
school was judged outstanding in its most recent inspection. The headteacher has been in post
for three years, having previously served as deputy headteacher at the school.
The school has served its students and community well for many years, until recently as an upper
school taking students from year 9. Moving from good to outstanding was in many ways a natural
aspiration. The comfort zone of good, and an attitude of dont fix whats not broken, together
with significant parental over-subscription; these features have needed to be challenged during
the schools recent journey. The headteacher believes that in long-established good schools the
drive to become outstanding lies in building energy at all levels, so that excitement about learning
and about reaching for new horizons permeates the staffroom. She believes that schools live
in the moment because they are dealing with children and young people, so it is vital that staff
embrace a culture that is relentlessly optimistic and focused on what students want to do today
and tomorrow. The headteachers role is rooted, she says, in encouraging others to think and not
just be, and providing a range of support and challenge systems to make that happen.
Students enter the school with above-average attainment and achieve well in their Key Stage 3 tests
at the end of year 8. In 2009, 95% of year 11 students achieved five or more higher grades at GCSE,
85% including English and mathematics. High levels of participation and performance in sports,
music and other awards are achieved, with displayed evidence of that success. The school has
created a small-school ethos in years 7 and 8, with an innovative skills-based curriculum which acts
as a launching pad for high attainment. Lessons demonstrate clear targets, sharp prioritisation and
wise use of excellent resources. At Key Stage 4, the impact of the sports and vocational specialisms
is strong, certainly in the view of students. Investment in ICT is considerable and has led to a tradition
of independent learning being nurtured from year 7. Sixth-form learning is impressive in content
and style, enhanced by collaboration with other schools, colleges and external agencies. Students
have made a number of telling contributions to curriculum development; there are clear and regular
channels of communication for students to feed back to their teachers on the quality of teaching:
This is your school and you take it forward. There are no bells to interrupt the purposeful calm which
characterises the working day. The headteacher believes that refreshing the curriculum lies at the
heart of sustaining an outstanding school.
Senior leaders say that teaching and learning have moved from good to outstanding as a result
of a combination of factors. The headteachers lead on the importance of generating excitement
in learning was a starting point. Professional development has centred on creativity within sound
pedagogy. Teachers enjoy being in their classrooms. Being in a training school and training others
helps teachers feel good about their profession and professionalism. Teachers draw attention
22
As the headteacher
suggests, wholeschool cultures do
not just happen
you have to be
tenacious and
deal promptly with
practices which
are not up
to the standard of
the best.
to the role of students in improving classroom practice; students help to identify their learning
objectives within given parameters. The school has made a major investment in the training and
development of classroom support staff, with professional development being an entitlement. As
the headteacher suggests, whole-school cultures do not just happen you have to be tenacious
and deal promptly with practices which are not up to the standard of the best. Further, she
believes that teachers will only sustain their high energy levels if they have the opportunity to work
alongside visiting experts for example musicians, curators, designers, local community leaders.
In addition, inviting well-deployed critical friends into classrooms to conduct learning walks is a
form of external support the headteacher strongly recommends.
The climate of leadership and management is founded on intelligent accountability and a spirit of
optimism about young people. Management systems are secure and trusted, and thus risk-taking
and a lack of fear of failure permeate. At the heart of the school is a feeling that everyone has a
next step, everyone feels they are moving forward. The headteacher believes that the visibility
and tenacity of the senior staff are vital and that high-quality communication must be modelled.
Kindness, mutual respect and forgiveness are equally important aspects of a thriving organisation.
The school has used its Self-Evaluation Form on a regular basis, to re-examine its practices in
relation to Ofsteds outstanding criteria. Latterly, students and parents have contributed to the
writing of the form. The headteacher maintains that defusing parental anxieties about change is one
of her core functions. The governing body has a high level of interest in the school, and provides a
forum for discussion and professional challenge for senior leaders.
The school has positioned itself to develop as a world-class school, benchmarking itself internationally
as a way of maintaining its excellence. Characteristic of daily routines is its entrepreneurism,
professionalism and business-like efficiency, all of which have played a core part in its improvement
journey. Pace, optimism and explicit focus on what goes on in classrooms pervade the schools
ethos. The headteacher has not changed traditions and annual events that work, but has added,
at well judged moments, new traditions that will stand the test of time. She concludes: Appoint
teachers who are better than you are!
Key messages
Strong systems support creativity.
Communication, communication, communication.
Create energy at all levels.
Listen to what the students say about their classrooms.
Manage staff and parent anxieties, no matter how minor.
23
There is no hiding
place for coasting
students or
members of staff.
Case study 5: 1118 mixed multi-ethnic comprehensive

Context
The school is an 1118 mixed multi-ethnic comprehensive with 1,300 students, situated in a
deprived urban area. An above-average percentage of students is entitled to free meals, with a
lower-than-average proportion having learning difficulties. The school has technology and training
status. It was judged outstanding in its latest Ofsted inspection. The headteacher has been in
post for six years. Traditional buildings have been sympathetically updated to provide a strong
learning environment.
With an established good brand upon which to build, the school was well placed to secure an
outstanding judgement from Ofsted. The headteacher viewed this journey as her central mission
in taking up post. She focused her energies on establishing unequivocally high expectations
amongst a critical mass of students and staff. Central to the vision has been microscopic
attention to the classroom, so that at any one time the school knows the attainment and progress
rates of every student. There is no hiding place for coasting students or members of staff. The
headteacher led a shift in the mind-set of some staff about students behaviour. Some of the
vocabulary of the staffroom had risked giving the impression that the school was preoccupied by
poor student behaviour, when in truth there was a small minority of students whose attitudes to
learning were poor. Senior leaders talk of enthusing the can-doers, marginalising the blockers
in having moved the school forward. For the headteacher, leadership is about timing, moving an
institution forward at the fastest pace it can withstand to the point where all associated with the
school are rightly proud of what is being achieved.
Students make very good progress through Key Stage 3 and outstanding progress at Key Stage
4, with 90% of students achieving five or more higher grades at GCSE. A and AS Level results are
similarly impressive. The school has worked imaginatively and effectively with students who have
English as an additional language, viewing bilingualism as a benefit, not an obstacle. In a culturally
diverse context, special attention has been paid to a language and practice of inclusion, for which
the school has gained national recognition. Students speak of the atmosphere here which really
helps us understand our work. The year 7 curriculum, with its emphasis on group work, thinking
skills, active learning and building resilience, has been a key ingredient in affording students
a springboard for later examination success. So too have the schools efforts to bring a wide
range of visitors into the school, suspending the regular timetable if necessary; efforts matched
by a plethora of visits to, and innovative partnerships with, local communities, faith groups and
businesses. Technology status has promoted good links with partner primaries, smoothing
transition. The headteacher points out that when innovation has not worked, the school, in the
spirit of failing wisely, has drawn back from a particular initiative. She believes that measured
risk-taking within a can-do culture, and admitting when youve got it wrong are fundamental in
moving a school to outstanding.
The school has taken what it believes to be a tried and tested route to moving all teaching and
learning to being good or better. Thoughtfully planned professional development has been an
integral aspect of all departmental planning, with a focus on securing the strong basics of classroom
practice: clear objectives shared with students; teachers breaking down difficult ideas into simple
24
They believe that

when the phrase
whole-school
culture trips off
leaders tongues,
it should mean
what it says,
whether referring to
students, teachers
or support staff.
steps; snappy introductions and mini-plenaries; meaningful differentiation; skilled use of interactive
whiteboards and related technologies; and marking with best-next-steps for students. Students
minimum and aspirational targets, alongside departmental targets, are the essentials of meticulous
tracking and monitoring. For the senior team, the recent spotlight on the percentage of A* and A
grades at GCSE is a hallmark of a school truly ambitious for its students. With English being an
additional language for three quarters of the students, successful efforts have been made to ensure
that texts in English and English Literature are relevant and engaging. All teachers are expected to
maintain personal portfolios of the work of students they teach, a whole-school practice which both
celebrates what students can do and spreads a message about teachers mutual accountability.
Governors links to departments, with appropriate protocols, have proved fruitful over a period of
many years in placing the classroom at the centre of whole-school planning.
The senior staff team of seven is passionate about what the school achieves day by day, and
believe that leading an Ofsted inspection by demonstrating that passion and pride, is crucial
to securing an outstanding verdict. They believe that when the phrase whole-school culture
trips off leaders tongues, it should mean what it says, whether referring to students, teachers or
support staff. The headteacher reinforces through her own leadership the principle that everyone
is a learner and that to teach is to learn. In setting ever-higher aspirational targets at GCSE,
she maintains that timing is everything; targets must be both challenging and plausible if the
occasional nay-sayer is to believe that these students in this context can do it.
A professional approach to performance management; short annual interviews between the
headteacher and each member of staff on an annual basis; professional development rooted
in staffs understanding of the Self-Evaluation Form; excellent training for middle leaders, to
grow your own: these, the school says, are non-negotiable on the route to outstanding. The
headteacher frequently refers to calculated risk-taking, for herself, staff and students: Thats how
we learn, isnt it?. The governing body has both encouraged and wisely restrained the leadership
team at critical moments. Further, the school believes in the role of bespoke critical friends in
challenging what it is doing, balanced with sharing its own best practices with other schools.
Key messages
Persuade the critical mass that change can be made.
Dont talk about behaviour as if it is separate from other aspects of school life.
Enable calculated risk-taking.
Know every child and what s/he is capable of.
Take pride in what you have achieved together.
25
A high-quality
work-related
vocational pathway
includes subjects
ranging from
motor vehicle
maintenance to
horse care.
Case study 6: 1116 voluntary-aided co-educational school

Context
This is an 1116 voluntary-aided co-educational school serving a mixed socio-economic area
of a coastal town. A specialist school for mathematics and computing, it has been designated a
high-performing specialist school, a National Centre of Excellence for gifted and talented students,
and a Leadership Partner School. The school supports another local secondary school, and the
executive team and several staff are shared by both schools. The proportion of students eligible
for free school meals is below average, as are the proportions of students from minority ethnic
groups and for whom English is an additional language. The proportion of students with special
educational needs and/or disabilities is average. The school delivers some post-16 advanced
apprenticeship courses and also manages a full-time nursery.
The headteacher was appointed 13 years ago, when the school was regarded as failing. He is now
executive headteacher, leading improvements in a neighbouring school. The school itself is led by
a head of school, who ensures that day-to-day standards and ideals are maintained.
From a very low point 13 years ago, the school moved to good in 2007 and to outstanding in
2010. Student outcomes in 1997 were 25% higher grades at GCSE; the 2009 results are 87% higher
grades, with a projection of over 90% for 2010. In the first few years of its transformation, the school
concentrated on four main levers of improvement. Firstly, the headteacher established a culture
based on a school motto and mission statement ensuring that the basic expectations were in place,
especially in relation to behaviour, uniform, attendance and punctuality. The belief in the supreme
value of every person is at the heart of this church schools mission. Secondly, a curriculum was
designed which gave a route to success for each student. Thirdly, classroom quality was ensured
through raising the standards of teaching and learning. Fourthly, secure management systems were
implemented. The headteacher thus delivered a transformational agenda whilst maintaining a high
proportion of the schools existing staff.
Students benefit from accelerated Key Stage 3 and extended Key Stage 4 programmes, which
can give them up to double the usual curriculum time to prepare for GCSE, although there is no
compulsion to start the GCSE course in year 9; some departments offer a foundation course first.
The timetable remains fluid and can be rewritten at any time. For example, most year 11 students
complete their GCSE courses in maths and English in November; when results are announced in
January, the timetable is rewritten to offer students approximately eight different pathways thereafter,
depending on the success attained in these subjects. A high-quality work-related vocational pathway
includes subjects ranging from motor vehicle maintenance to horse care. This route is taken by
about a third of the cohort. The school ensures a Level 2 pathway for every student, which results
in 97% of students gaining at least 5+ A*-G grades at GCSE. Students are supported by guidance
about curriculum choices in year 8.
Many students stay on after year 11 to follow advanced apprenticeships based in a post-16 training
centre and training nursery. This provision enables trainees to gain double A Level qualifications
along with an advanced NVQ (National Vocational Qualification).
26
Senior leaders
have a clear view
of the strengths
of the school and
its staff, and of
what needs to be
improved.
There is a sophisticated system of data-tracking and of monitoring and intervening in students

progress. Combined with the schools caring ethos, the system enables students, especially the
more vulnerable, to make the best of opportunities in school.
The school operates a process whereby any teacher can request assistance from the senior
leadership team for the management of classes which become challenging to them. The senior
leader will plan with the teacher and in some cases model teaching in the classroom, while
ensuring that ownership of the class remains with the teacher and then expecting that the teacher
will continue to deliver good+ lessons.
The after-school meeting cycle is focused predominantly on developing teaching skills. The school
endeavours to deliver outstanding training for its staff, where possible in school. Teaching has
improved as a result, but the school recognises that more needs to be done to sustain a higher
proportion of outstanding lessons.
Senior leaders have a clear view of the strengths of the school and its staff, and of what needs to
be improved. Line-management meetings have clear agendas, discussed in advance at senior
management team meetings to ensure consistency in approach and outcome, and focused on
evidence. Preparation on both sides for the line-management meetings is specifically required
in the annual plan. Departmental self-evaluation is under constant review through the linemanagement meetings, so that updates occur in a planned and supportive way.
The monitoring of teaching and learning is comprehensive. Trends in each area of practice can
be plotted and areas prioritised for further staff training or monitoring. This proactive process
enables a wide range of intervention and support programmes to contribute to the achievement of
students and the development of staff.
The senior leadership team operates a highly distributed approach to leadership, underpinned
by a deep understanding of the schools mission. Members of the team work within a spirit of
high trust and autonomy. Each member of the team is shadowed to support succession planning
and to enable more senior leaders to engage in the support of other schools. There are strong,
sustainable online communication systems.
Key messages
A strong ethos permeates the school and underpins decision-making.
A flexible and innovative curriculum designed to enable every student to gain a wide range
of Level 2 qualifications.
A timetable which is not set in stone.
A mentoring system which takes a holistic view of need and adjusts frequently to changing
priorities.
A senior leadership team which has extra capacity built in, to enable the school to support
other schools in the locality.
A sophisticated data-tracking and monitoring system which supports learning.
27
The systems used

for monitoring
progress are
rigorous and robust,
and have been
improved through
the appointment of
a data co-ordinator
who provides
high-quality
training for staff.
Case study 7: 1116 community comprehensive

Context
The school is an 1116 community comprehensive with 920 students on roll. It opened in new
buildings in September 2005 and the first cohort of students is now in year 11. The school was
founded to serve a rapidly expanding town and new housing development on the fringe of a large
city. This is a relatively prosperous area; the social and economic circumstances of the students
are favourable. Facilities are currently being built for the first post-16 intake in September 2010;
the school will then take students up to age 18. Most students are of White British heritage and
the number of students whose first language is not English is well below the national average.
The proportion eligible for free school meals is below average; the proportion who have special
educational needs and/or disabilities is similar to the national average, although the proportion with
a statement of special educational need is above average. The school shares many facilities with
the local community. It achieved specialist status in languages and performing arts in 2008.
The headteacher opened the school in 2005. The schools core values, called the four Rs (resilient,
reflective, resourceful, and responsible), were established at the outset, as was its motto: For the
community, in the community.
The schools first Ofsted inspection, in October 2006, judged it to be good and to have made a
strong start. Its key strength was excellent procedures to care for, guide and support students. In the
Ofsted inspection of November 2009, the school was identified as outstanding, with a strength in its
inclusive and welcoming ethos. The inspection report noted that the headteacher provided the school
with outstanding leadership and that he was well supported by a skilful and effective leadership team.
It affirmed that the team had been successful in establishing the school at the heart of the community.
The school has worked hard to develop an increasingly personalised curriculum which reflects
its four core values. Students receive a broad entitlement of subject domains across each Key
Stage. A significant amount of curriculum time is devoted to numeracy and literacy. The curriculum
at Key Stage 4 is divided into essential learning for everyone, and an additional individual learning
pathway. As a specialist performing arts and languages school, the school actively promotes these
subjects through communication and performance.
The systems used for monitoring progress are rigorous and robust, and have been improved through
the appointment of a data co-ordinator who provides high-quality training for staff. Data is presented
so that vulnerable groups in every subject can readily be tracked. As the school had no validated
external data for any cohort, Ofsted conducted a wide-ranging work sample to check levels and
projections, and confirmed that the schools assessment and reporting processes were secure.
The students value inclusivity. The school is fully accessible to children with mobility difficulties and/
or medical problems. Vulnerable children are accepted and nurtured. The school day is conducted
in an atmosphere of mutual respect. A sense of calm and purpose is palpable around the corridors.
From the first year of the schools life, senior staff have focused relentlessly on maintaining highquality learning and teaching. High proportions of staff join as newly qualified teachers; constant
28
Staff take a clear

and active part in
devising school
policy and shaping
the schools future.
monitoring means that under-performance in the classroom is detected quickly and support is
provided. Senior staff have been trained in how to quality-assure learning and teaching; in recent
years this training has extended to all teachers. All senior staff are expected to deliver outstanding
lessons. The headteacher sets himself the task of knowing every child entering the school by
teaching maths to the year 7 students.
Staff finish teaching early on Mondays for two hours of in-house training to ensure consistency in the
development of policy and procedures and to provide opportunities to showcase best practice.
There is absolute clarity regarding the requirements for leadership at the school creativity,
cultural literacy, high aspirations, an outward-looking approach, and the ability to maintain
high-quality relationships in a fast-paced environment. The interview process for new recruits
to leadership positions is rigorous and based on competence in teaching. Most senior leaders,
teaching and non-teaching, are home-grown. The induction of new staff is a refined process.
Expectations are high and staff absence low.
The chair of governors describes the headteacher as: having a clear sense of purpose and vision,
attuned to the governors view of a community school; a willingness to listen to staff, governors
and parents; a remarkable ability to synthesise complex issues and then take appropriate action;
a credibility through maintaining his teaching commitment; and a facility in communication both
internally and with other schools.
The school has robust systems for self-evaluation. A fortnightly review focused on subjects or
themes ensures that evaluation is based on evidence; action points follow evaluation.
There is an ethos of openness and collaboration. There are frequent staff and student surveys,
providing confidential feedback to the senior leadership team. Staff take a clear and active part
in devising school policy and shaping the schools future. Parents are active in expressing their
views and are welcomed to the parents forum, where they have advised on the assessment and
reporting system, the format of parents evenings and the parents portal on the schools website.
The students voice is strong. Students are involved in appointments, the self-evaluation process,
a thriving school council and an associate governor programme.
The school is relentless in its determination to secure excellence in all areas of its life and work.
Key messages
An ethos based on For the community, in the community.
A personalised curriculum for students based on the schools four core values.
Promotion of the performing arts and languages specialisms through the themes of
communication and performance, building learners confidence to play an active part in and
beyond the school.
A strong professional development programme to grow the talent in staff.
Leading-edge information-technology systems for data capture and analysis.
Students who value inclusivity.
A highly consultative relationship with parents.
29
Students make
excellent progress
and attain
exceptionally
high test and
examination results
at the end of Key
Stages 3, 4 and 5.
Case study 8: 1118 comprehensive

Context
The school is a 1118 comprehensive situated in a largely prosperous town in the south of
England, and serving a wide area around the town. The school welcomes students from other
Christian and religious backgrounds, with these students constituting about 25% of its intake.
Student numbers are currently 1,200, including 200 in the sixth form. The proportion of children
from ethnic minorities is slightly above average, as is the proportion of those who have English as an
additional language. The proportion of students with learning difficulties and disabilities, including
those with statements, has increased over the years but is below the national average.
The school is a specialist languages college, a Leading Edge school and a Leadership Partner
school. Languages permeate the curriculum and extra-curricular activities.
The schools mission is to be a Catholic school where every individual is highly valued and where
care and concern for others is central to our work.
Posted around the school is the question: If this is going to be the best school in England, what
are you going to do to help us get there? This question underpins the aspirations of the highly
motivated and energetic staff, who commented on the outstanding and inspirational leadership of
the headteacher, held in the highest regard by staff and students alike.
The headteacher took up her post 15 years ago, when the school was regarded as coasting.
Expectations were low, and GCSE results had remained around 4547% A*C for four years. After
one year, the results moved from 47% to 59% A*C.
The headteacher says, uncompromisingly, We are here to serve the children. This belief has resulted
in her unrelenting drive to ensure that all students achieve the best of which they are capable.
Over the years, the headteacher has built a highly motivated and effective school leadership team,
constantly striving for excellence. She is noted for having the ability to recruit staff of the highest
calibre at all levels. Expectations of staff regarding punctuality, dress and lesson preparation are
explicit in the staff handbook; non-compliance or under-performance is addressed immediately.
Anyone not meeting these expectations will be supported in leaving with dignity.
Students enter the school with above-average attainment, although within the school there is
a comprehensive range of abilities. Students make excellent progress and attain exceptionally
high test and examination results at the end of Key Stages 3, 4 and 5. The progress of students
within the vulnerable groups is at least in line with, and in some cases better than, that of other
students. The target-setting process is unusual. The school doesnt let students know their
specific target grades; teachers are aware of them and use them for planning. Students are told
that they are aiming for an A/A* or, for those of lower ability, at least a C. This strategy has resulted
in departmental and whole-school targets being exceeded year after year.
At Key Stage 4, the curriculum is highly personalised, offering each student a clear pathway for
learning post-16. Arrangements are made for those needing extra support in English and maths. The
schools specialism creates opportunities to study a wide range of languages within and beyond the
curriculum. The overwhelming majority of students stay on in a thriving and successful sixth form.
30
High-quality
professional
development is
based on what is
already working
well at the school.
Senior staff and main-scale teachers alike refer to an unrelentingly positive approach to students.
Senior staff see it as their priority to ensure that the main objective of the teaching staff is to plan
excellent lessons. Bureaucracy is reduced to a minimum to facilitate this. Senior staff are expert
teachers. They visit every lesson every day, and rate staff on a 4-point scale each week. Where a
lesson is judged less than good, the member of staff is supported in planning the next lesson so
that the students in question do not experience anything less than a good lesson the next time
they meet the teacher. This programme of intervention is combined with paired peer observations
on a theme identified by the senior leadership team, which has created an open, supportive
environment in which staff can learn from best practice within the school.
High-quality professional development is based on what is already working well at the school.
Teacher bursaries are available, to stimulate research and to ensure that learning and teaching are
at the heart of the schools work.
Members of the senior leadership team undergo appraisals where up to nine members of staff
may say what that person does well, suggest how he or she could be even better if, and offer a
piece of advice.
There is an acknowledgement that tight systems and structures allow you to be no more than
good. Fundamental to the success of the schools leadership is the concept of transparency and
integrity, based on a belief that if staff are not doing a great job then it is a managers job to tell
them: If you dont and they fail, its your fault.
Middle leaders are extremely effective and share the senior leaderships vision. Induction of new
staff is exemplary. Teachers new to the school in September are individually interviewed by the
headteacher in October to ascertain if there is anything more that can be done to support them.
The concept of high challenge/low stress is conveyed to teachers and students alike.
Key messages
There is absolute clarity about what the overriding mission (to serve the children) means in
everyday practice.
Leaders at all levels are clear about their role and the autonomy they have to fulfil their
responsibilities.
High expectations permeate every aspect of school life.
Bureaucracy is minimised, to allow teachers to focus on developing and delivering
outstanding lessons.
Where concerns arise, support is implemented immediately.
Senior leaders are positive and visible. Every lesson is visited every day to celebrate and to
support.
Everyone knows the data.
Recruitment is key. Only teachers who can deliver the very best experience for students are
appointed.
31
4. Conclusions
Outstanding
schools have
systems and
approaches which
guarantee that
the overwhelming
majority of
teaching in
classrooms is at
least good, and
usually excellent.
Outstanding schools are different in their contexts, histories and styles, as well as in other ways.
That said, research and inspection evidence suggest they have many qualities in common. This
study of schools that have made the shift to outstanding identifies key aspects of their work on
which the process of transformation has focused.
Consistency of and creativity in teaching

Outstanding schools have systems and approaches which guarantee that the overwhelming majority
of teaching in classrooms is at least good, and usually excellent. These systems and approaches are
evidence-based; they eschew the anecdotal. Senior leaders between them have a monitoring role
which gives them a confident knowledge of the professional qualities of all the teachers in the school.
Once consistency has been reliably attained, the emphasis is on maximising the frequency with
which lessons are truly memorable experiences of pleasurable, demanding, collaborative learning,
for teacher and students alike. Formative assessments of students work, based on principles
common across the school, maintain a clear sense of students progress. The products of students
learning are celebrated through publication, performance or display.
A personalised curriculum
Outstanding schools adapt their curriculum offer to students so that every student has an individual
pathway through his or her school career, agreed with staff at key moments in that career, in
consultation with parents. Progress along the pathway is continuously checked. Sophisticated
monitoring and data-handling systems give staff a constantly updated understanding of a students
progress, leading to prompt and apt interventions in the work of students who under-achieve.
Engagement of students
Students in outstanding schools see themselves as active partners in the schools life and work,
not as passive consumers of a pre-planned product. This sense of partnership is realised through
students participation in regular reviews of their work and progress, and through the sincere
attention that staff pay to their opinions on all aspects of the schools activity and organisation.
Students voices may be heard through the school council, through the influence of their
representatives in the appointment of staff, or through a system by which students appraise the
effectiveness of their teachers.
Relations with the outside world

Outstanding schools maintain mutually productive relationships with parents and the wider local
community. Their communication systems are excellent. Parents have a genuine influence on
the schools policies and procedures. Governing bodies of outstanding schools understand their
strategic role in influencing or affirming the schools overall direction, while allowing senior leaders
their executive space. Outstanding schools often have a formal responsibility as guide and mentor
to other local schools which need to improve. They frequently also have contacts further afield, for
example with schools in other countries.
32
Inspirational leadership
Headteachers of outstanding schools have had an overall, long-term vision of what their school
could be, however distant that vision may have been from where the school was at the time, and
have translated that vision into practical and successful effort on the part of a critical mass of staff,
especially of senior staff. They know how to appoint excellent people to other leadership positions
in the school, and then trust them to do their jobs; distribution of leadership is normal. While
encouraging innovation and measured risk-taking on the part of staff, they are uncompromising
and, if necessary, ruthless in addressing poor performance. They promote an atmosphere of
confident pride in the schools culture. They fulfil their role as the principal representative of the
school in its relations with the community it serves. They maintain their credibility with staff by
continuing to do some classroom teaching.
33
5. Appendix 1: Examples of criteria for

outstanding and good Ofsted judgements
Here are examples of Ofsteds criteria for judging a school outstanding or good in one each of
the specific sub-divisions of the three main areas. They are quoted from Evaluation Schedule for
Schools Guidance and Grade Descriptors for Inspecting Schools in England under Section 5 of
the Education Act 2005 (Ofsted 2010a).
In the quality of students learning and their progress and the quality of learning for students with
special educational needs and/or disabilities and their progress, within outcomes for students:
Example 1: Ofsteds criteria for judging a school
Outstanding (1)
The students acquire knowledge, develop understanding and learn and practise skills
exceptionally well. Students demonstrate excellent concentration and are rarely off
task, even in extended periods without direction from an adult. They have developed
resilience when tackling challenging activities in a range of subjects. Their keenness and
commitment to succeed in all aspects of school life and ability to grasp opportunities
to extend and improve their learning are exceptional. Progress is at least good in each
key stage, key subjects and for different groups and is exemplary in some.
Good (2)
The students acquire knowledge, develop understanding and learn and practise skills
well. The students are keen to do well, apply themselves diligently in lessons and work
at a good pace. They seek to produce their best work and are usually interested and
enthusiastic about their learning in a range of subjects. A very large majority of groups
of students make at least good progress and some may make outstanding progress,
with nothing that is inadequate.
In the quality of teaching and the use of assessment to support learning, within the effectiveness
of the schools provision:
Outstanding (1)
Teaching is at least good and much is outstanding, with the result that the students
are making exceptional progress. It is highly effective in inspiring students and
ensuring that they learn extremely well. Excellent subject knowledge is applied
consistently to challenge and inspire students. Resources, including new technology,
make a marked contribution to the quality of learning, as does the precisely targeted
support provided by other adults. Teachers and other adults are acutely aware of
their students capabilities and of their prior learning and understanding, and plan
very effectively to build on these. Marking and dialogue between teachers, other
adults and students are consistently of a very high quality. Students understand in
detail how to improve their work and are consistently supported in doing so. Teachers
systematically and effectively check students understanding throughout lessons,
anticipating where they may need to intervene and doing so with striking impact on the
quality of learning.
34
Good (2)
The teaching is consistently effective in ensuring that students are motivated and
engaged. The great majority of teaching is securing good progress and learning.
Teachers generally have strong subject knowledge which enthuses and challenges
most students and contributes to their good progress. Good and imaginative use
is made of resources, including new technology to enhance learning. Other adults
support is well focused and makes a significant contribution to the quality of learning.
As a result of good assessment procedures, teachers and other adults plan well to
meet the needs of all students. Students are provided with detailed feedback, both
orally and through marking. They know how well they have done and can discuss what
they need to do to sustain good progress. Teachers listen to, observe and question
groups of students during lessons in order to reshape tasks and explanations to
improve learning.
In the effectiveness of leadership and management in embedding ambition and driving improvement
and the leadership and management of teaching and learning, within the effectiveness of the
schools leadership and management:
Outstanding (1)
The senior leadership team and other leaders and managers are conspicuously
successful in inspiring the school community to share a strong sense of purpose which
involves work towards meeting or sustaining ambitious targets for all students. Morale is
very high and belief in the schools success runs through all levels of staff. Rigorous and
extensive monitoring, searching analysis and self-challenge enable the school, together
with its significant partners, to devise exceptionally well-focused plans. Actions taken
by the school and, where relevant, its partners are implemented with precision and
managed thoroughly. As a result, the quality of teaching is at least good and leaders and
managers at all levels are taking highly effective steps to drive up the quality of teaching
still further. Consequently, outcomes in achievement and well-being for most students
are good, and some are exceptionally high.
Good (2)
The senior leadership team and many middle leaders and managers consistently
communicate high expectations to staff about securing improvement. They galvanise
the enthusiasm of staff and channel their efforts to good effect. Leaders and
managers routinely make good use of a range of rigorous monitoring activities relating
to teaching, other provision and outcomes. Planning involves any relevant major
partners, and is founded on robust evidence and good-quality data. It is tackling key
areas of weakness, including those in teaching, systematically and is building on areas
of strength. As a result, teaching is at least satisfactory and improving. Target-setting
is realistic and challenging. Consequently, outcomes are generally good, or there is
substantial evidence that they are improving strongly.
35
References
Adonis, A. (2008) Academies and Social Mobility, Speech to the National Academies Conference,
London, 7 February 2008.
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/speeches/speech.cfm?SpeechID=749
Association of School and College Leaders (2010) Thornley, T. Make it Outstanding, in Leader,
The Education Leader Magazine.
http://www.leadermagazine.co.uk/article.php?id=623
The Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement (2009) Designing Effective
School Improvement Strategies, in Center for CRSI Newsletter June 2009. Washington DC: The
Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement.
http://www.centerforcsri.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=675&Itemid=5
CfBT Education Trust (in partnership with Lincolnshire County Council) (2009) Strategy for School
Improvement. Lincoln: Lincolnshire School Improvement Service with CfBT Education Trust
DCSF (2008) Gaining Ground: Improving Progress in Coasting Secondary Schools. Nottingham:
DCSF Publications
www.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/sie/documents/gainingground.pdf
DCSF (2009a) Advanced Skills Teacher Promoting Excellence. London: DCSF Publications
DCSF (2009b) Greater Manchester Challenge Opportunities for Secondary Schools 200910.
Nottingham: DCSF Publications
DCSF (2009c) Your Child, Your Schools, Your Future: Building a 21st Century Schools System.
London: The Stationery Office
Gillies, C. (2007) From Good to Outstanding: Tips for Teachers, in Support Materials accompanying
Teachers TV series From Good to Outstanding. Access via e.g.
http://www.teachers.tv/videos/louise-radford
Harris, A. and Lambert, B. (2003) Building Leadership Capacity for School Improvement. Milton
Keynes: Open University Press
Hopkins, D. (2007) Every School a Great School: Realising the Potential of System Leadership.
Milton Keynes: Open University Press
London Borough of Camden (2008) Taking your School from Good to Outstanding. London
Borough of Camden conference, London, 16 October 2008
http://66.102.9.132/search?q=cache:d3Jxyj6ozMMJ:www.lgfl.net/lgfl/leas/camden/accounts/
sis/SSE/documents/081016%2520Headteacher%2520Conference%2520on%2520Good%252
0to%2520Outstanding%2520Send%2520Version.ppt+moving+schools+from+good+to+outsta
nding&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk
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Ofsted (2009a) The Annual Report of Her Majestys Chief Inspector of Education, Childrens Services
and Skills 2008/9. London: The Stationery Office
Ofsted (2009b) Twelve Outstanding Secondary Schools Excelling Against the Odds. London: Ofsted
Ofsted (2010a) The Evaluation Schedule for Schools Guidance and Grade Descriptors for
Inspecting Schools in England under Section 5 of the Education Act 2005, from September 2009.
Manchester: Ofsted
Ofsted (2010b) The Framework for School Inspection in England under Section 5 of the Education
Act 2005. Manchester: Ofsted
Sebba, J. and Robinson, C. (2010) Evaluation of UNICEF UKs Rights Respecting Schools Award
(RRSA), Interim Report. London: UNICEF.
http://www.unicef.org.uk/publications/pdf/sussex_interim_summary.pdf
TDA (2007) Professional Standards for Teachers: Excellent Teacher. London: TDA.
West-Burnham, J. (2009) Developing Outstanding Leaders: Professional Life Histories of Outstanding
Headteachers Summary Report 2009. Nottingham: NCSL
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0118 902 1000

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LITERATURE REVIEW

To the next level: good schools

To the next level: good schools becoming outstanding

Welcome to CfBT Education Trust

Welcome to Owen Education

The views and opinions expressed in this publication are

To the next level: good schools becoming outstanding

2. Lessons from Ofsted

3. What schools tell us

Case study 1: 1116 Church of England mixed comprehensive

Case study 2: 1119 mixed community comprehensive

Case study 3: large 1116 mixed community comprehensive

Case study 4: 1118 mixed comprehensive

Case study 5: 1118 mixed multi-ethnic comprehensive

Case study 6: 1116 voluntary-aided co-educational school

Case study 7: 1116 community comprehensive

Case study 8: 1118 comprehensive

5. Appendix 1 Examples of criteria for outstanding and

To the next level: good schools becoming outstanding

About the authors

To the next level: good schools becoming outstanding

To the next level: good schools becoming outstanding

To the next level: good schools becoming outstanding

Characteristics of outstanding schools

 upil learning and behaviour, including personalisation of learning, high expectations,

To the next level: good schools becoming outstanding

West-Burnham (2009) writes that those aspiring to be outstanding headteachers should

To the next level: good schools becoming outstanding

have an extensive and deep knowledge and understanding of their subjects/curriculum

To the next level: good schools becoming outstanding

four key themes The move from good to outstanding

To the next level: good schools becoming outstanding

To the next level: good schools becoming outstanding

2. Lessons from Ofsted

An Ofsted inspection is designed to provide an independent external evaluation of a schools

The Ofsted inspection system: judgements

To the next level: good schools becoming outstanding

Characteristics of twelve outstanding schools

To the next level: good schools becoming outstanding

Good and outstanding lessons: one inspectors views

To the next level: good schools becoming outstanding

To the next level: good schools becoming outstanding

3. What schools tell us

To the next level: good schools becoming outstanding

8. Headteachers focused on eliminating in-school variation, or at least reaching a point where

To the next level: good schools becoming outstanding

Case study 1: 1116 Church of England mixed comprehensive

To the next level: good schools becoming outstanding

To the next level: good schools becoming outstanding

Case study 2: 1119 mixed community comprehensive

To the next level: good schools becoming outstanding

to imaginative, well differentiated lesson planning, judiciously monitored by middle managers.

To the next level: good schools becoming outstanding

Case study 3: large 1116 mixed community comprehensive

To the next level: good schools becoming outstanding

To the next level: good schools becoming outstanding

Case study 4: 1118 mixed comprehensive

To the next level: good schools becoming outstanding

To the next level: good schools becoming outstanding

5. Appendix 1 Examples of criteria for outstanding and

upil learning and behaviour, including personalisation of learning, high expectations,

have an extensive and deep knowledge and understanding of their subjects/curriculum

8. Headteachers focused on eliminating in-school variation, or at least reaching a point where