ALTOUGH new 'three strikes' policy will see huge numbers of schools placed in special measures, an assembly committee has warned. The education committee yesterday began taking evidence on its Inquiry of the Education Training Inspectorate (ETI) by questioning chief inspector Noelle Buick. ETI keeps a check on teaching quality as well as the leadership and management in schools. The committee said inspection findings often had a significant impact on a school's reputation - ultimately affecting its viability.
The 'inspecting the inspectors' probe is looking at planned new robust powers for the ETI and changes in other jurisdictions, which have made other school inspectorates more like improvement partners than inspectors. Committee members said they wanted to learn more about proposed wide-ranging changes to the 'formal intervention' process which could see "coasting" schools subject to significant action.
During formal intervention, schools must address areas for improvement identified at inspection.
At present only those who receive one of the two lowest performance grades - inadequate and unsatisfactory - enter the process.
Since it was introduced in 2010, 42 schools have taken part, 19 have successfully exited it and three have been shut down.
The committee warned that proposals to include schools labelled 'satisfactory' would inevitably mean greater numbers being placed in special measures.
The Department of Education has proposed revising the scheme to ensure satisfactory schools improve to at least good.
It has suggested that satisfactory schools evaluated as still being satisfactory in two consecutive follow-up inspections, should face action.
Ms Buick told the committee that formal intervention was designed to be a supportive, rather than punitive, process for schools.
She added that the proposed changes were designed to prevent schools from "trundling along as satisfactory" adding that the aim was to ensure every school was labelled good or better. "This is about school improvement. This is meant to be enabling for schools and learners in schools," she said.