What constitutes high-quality early years provision from the Ofsted point of view? A study examining how Ofsted judgements align with internationally recognised principles of early years education and Froebelian pedagogy.
A study which set out to renew understanding of Froebelian pedagogy as a methodological research tool and as a framework to guide quality assurance of early years settings.
Abstract
The evaluation of schools and educational settings has been the focus of scholarly debate for decades, with systems around the world varying to a certain extent on the continuum between high stakes (with schools being heavily accountable for outcomes) and low stakes approaches. In England, an independent high-stakes system is in place, with the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) as the responsible body for conducting evaluations of all educational settings.
However, considerable controversy has surrounded the efficacy of Ofsted’s inspections, with lack of transparency regarding individual judgements by inspectors often being highlighted. Given the widely recognised importance of high-quality early education for the future of children and economies, evaluation of early years settings is key.
This study examines and identifies patterns in Ofsted inspection reports for early years settings in England, helping to distinguish between Outstanding-rated settings and others, from a potentially unconscious perspective, through in-depth document analysis of Ofsted reports. Children’s progress reports were also analysed against Ofsted ratings, the specific content of the Ofsted reports and deprivation levels of the postcode.
Results show a very limited link between children’s scores in progress checks and official Ofsted ratings of the settings, and that it is possible to identify a group of variables that most clearly distinguish Outstanding-rated nurseries from others.
Implications for future practice and research are discussed considering potential challenges and opportunities of the current inspection system versus a more self-evaluative system mirroring that of other nations.
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Abstract taken from: What makes a nursery ‘Outstanding’? A study of inspection reports of Early Years settings and children’s reported outcomes in England by Susana Castro-Kemp and Åsa Melander, March 2023 (preprint DOI)
Other publications and articles
'The power imbalance between Ofsted inspectors and providers needs to go' An article by Dr Susana Castro-Kemp was featured in Nursery World. First published in May 2022.
'Does Ofsted value play and creativity in early education?' An article by Dr Susana Castro-Kemp was first published by the Froebel Trust in February 2023.
When looking at children’s outcomes, the most common expressions used in Ofsted reports are those related to school readiness...
Project summary
Ofsted statistics are clear regarding the fact that most nursery settings are rated as ‘Good’ and that the most deprived areas have fewer ‘Outstanding’ settings and more ‘Requires improvement’ when compared to the least deprived areas (Ofsted 2019 data).
Although Ofsted provides guidance on what to observe, final decisions about quality are ultimately individual judgements. Little is known about the common factors underlying those judgements, in particular those of qualitative nature. This information would be unique and important because it has the potential to highlight procedural challenges in the quality assurance system for early childhood education.
The aim of this study was to generate evidence of what constitutes high-quality early years provision from the Ofsted point of view, while also examining how these judgements align with internationally recognised principles of early years education - Froebelian pedagogy.
To achieve this, a nationally representative sample of Ofsted reports developed for early years settings was gathered, in order to identify key factors characterising each category of quality.
Additionally, the study examined whether the socio-economic level of the postcode, staff qualifications/experience and the developmental profile of children attending each setting can predict quality ratings.
Froebelian principles were used as a matrix of categories for systematically analysing reports and interviews. For example, how are the ‘uniqueness of the child’, ‘play’, or ‘creativity’ considered in Ofsted reports and professionals’ discourses? Are they often linked to a particular quality rating?
It is expected that this study will be beneficial to a range of audiences (professionals, academics and policy-makers) by:
- Providing unique evidence that can inform policy-makers and professionals about any challenges in the provision currently on offer and consequent change management needs;
- A renewed understanding of Froebelian pedagogy as a methodological research tool and a framework to guide quality assurance of early years settings.
About the researcher
Susana Castro-Kemp is an Associate Professor in Psychology and Human Development at UCL's Institute of Education in London. She is Director of the UCL Centre for Inclusive Education.
Her research interests lie in the areas of inclusion of young children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, Early Childhood Education and Care, Education Policy and Education in the Global South.
She has an extensive track record of published and funded research across these areas, often involving a transdisciplinary approach and mixed methodologies. Her most recent research focuses on the inspection process of non-domestic early education settings in England.
The aim of this study is to generate evidence of what constitutes high-quality early years provision from the Ofsted point of view, while also examining how these judgements align with internationally recognised principles of early years education - Froebelian pedagogy.
