Ofsted has published its , the first academic year in which inspections were mostly unaffected by Covid since 2019. But chief inspector Amanda Spielman warned today of the “shadow cast by the pandemic over education”, adding that education recovery is “far from complete”, with problems exacerbated by a “workforce crisis” in education. Here’s what we learned… 1. Two thirds of schools not graded in five years Ofsted said it was 鈥渃oncerned鈥 64 per cent of schools had not had a graded inspection in the last five academic years, and 14 per cent had not had one in 10 years. This is due to most inspections of 鈥榞ood鈥 schools since 2015 have been ungraded, and because 鈥榦utstanding鈥 schools were previously exempt from inspection completely. It is also due in part to the pandemic. Source Ofsted The government recently lifted the inspection exemption for 鈥榦utstanding鈥 schools, leading to four in five losing the top grade. Ofsted said some 鈥榦utstanding鈥 schools were 鈥渆xcelling鈥, but 鈥渙thers have fallen behind鈥. This included some that had 鈥渞elied on strong performance data to achieve an outstanding judgement鈥, but had not 鈥渄emonstrated the necessary substance and integrity鈥 under scrutiny of the new inspection framework. 2. 鈥楻I鈥 and 鈥榠nadequate鈥 schools more likely to improve But the picture is not all doom and gloom. Seventy per cent of previously 鈥榬equires improvement鈥 schools inspected last year improved to 鈥榞ood鈥 or 鈥榦utstanding鈥, up from 56 per cent in 2019-20. Overall, 88 per cent of state schools were judged 鈥榞ood鈥 or 鈥榦utstanding鈥 at their most recent inspection, up from 86 per cent in 2021. Of 220 schools that were previously 鈥榠nadequate鈥, two per cent became 鈥榦utstanding鈥 and 63 per cent became 鈥榞ood鈥, while 29 per cent went up to 鈥榬equires improvement鈥. Ofsted said it was 鈥渆ncouraging鈥 to see just 5 per cent remained at the bottom grade, compared to 8 per cent in 2019-20. 3. Part-time timetables used as 鈥榓lternative鈥 to exclusion Spielman warned the pandemic had 鈥渙bscured trends” in exclusions and off-rolling, so it is harder to tell if off-rolling is still a problem. But she said there was 鈥渁necdotal evidence that part-time timetables are being used more regularly in schools鈥. 鈥淭his is where children attend school, but their attendance is limited to a handful of lessons. This might be held up as an alternative to exclusion, but it is another avenue by which children can slowly slide out of education.鈥 Ofsted reviewed school census data from January 2020 and 2021 to look for off-rolling. It found 160 schools had 鈥渆xceptional levels of pupil movement鈥, compared with 320 in 2020. However, Ofsted said because 2020 and 2021 performance data was not used for accountability, it 鈥渕ay mean that schools have had less incentive to off-roll pupils鈥. 4. More MAT evaluation 鈥榚vents鈥 planned Multi-academy trusts cannot be inspected directly. Instead, Ofsted carries out “summary evaluations” based on batch visits to several schools in the same chain. Ofsted conducted five evaluations last year, finding 鈥渂roadly positive鈥 insights. However, they found some 鈥渁reas for improvement, including for trusts to collaborate more with other trusts鈥. The watchdog said it would continue to develop its programme of MAT evaluations, with some other 鈥淢AT events鈥 which are similar to summary evaluations but with 鈥渟lightly different themes鈥, and covering 鈥渕ore sizes and types of MATs鈥. Ofsted plans to complete 12 of these 鈥渆vents鈥 this year, to 鈥渋mprove our methodology and understanding of the MAT sector鈥. However, Ofsted also repeated calls for the power to inspect MATs directly. 5. Insufficient powers over 鈥榗haotic鈥 and ‘unsafe’ illegal schools A taskforce set up in 2016 to tackle illegal schools has so far investigated just under 960 unregistered settings in England, inspecting around 660 and issuing almost 160 warning notices. Investigations found children in 鈥渃haotic institutions where disorganised managers and staff fail to provide a proper education鈥. Some children are in unregistered schools 鈥渨here they are exposed to misogynistic, homophobic and extremist materials that are contrary to British values鈥. Ofsted has also found unregistered schools 鈥渙perating in unsafe and inappropriate premises鈥. It identified serious safeguarding concerns in 鈥渕ore than a quarter of the unregistered schools we inspected, which have put children as young as five at risk鈥. However, the watchdog has only brought six successful prosecutions because of its 鈥渓imited powers鈥. The schools bill, which proposed greater powers, was recently scrapped. Spielman said today Ofsted was “disappointed that the schools bill won鈥檛 progress”, but said they had been 鈥渞eassured that the education secretary remains committed鈥 to the proposals around illegal schools. 6. 鈥楥oncerning鈥 placement rise in unregistered AP Placements in registered state-funded alternative provision fell by 16 per cent to 22,000 between January 2020 and January 2021. But the number of placements in independent schools and unregistered providers continue to rise. Ofsted said the rise in unregistered AP was 鈥渃oncerning, given that they operate without oversight鈥 and pupils are more likely to be exposed to safeguarding risks. Source Ofsted Over half of Ofsted鈥檚 unregistered school inspections were of AP providers last year, up from a third in 2016. AP accounted for seven out of 10 warning notices. Some schools commission AP placements 鈥渨ithout checking suitability or legality and safeguarding arrangements鈥, but after concerns were raised the schools 鈥渋mproved their approach鈥 to commissioning. AP schools were also less likely to be 鈥榞ood鈥 or 鈥榦utstanding鈥. Ofsted said 鈥渨holesale change鈥 is needed to make sure 鈥渢housands of, often vulnerable, children get the high quality education they need and deserve鈥. The watchdog called for 鈥渃ompulsory registration for all AP鈥. 7. 鈥楽ignificant weaknesses鈥 in SEND system Ofsted has criticised the SEND system, saying it has 鈥渟ignficant weaknesses鈥. Families experience 鈥渟ignificant delays and difficulties accessing support鈥 and have 鈥渇rustrating and adversarial experiences鈥 which were exacerbated during the pandemic. But they say a lack of high-quality education, health and care services could have resulted in some children being 鈥渕istakenly identified” as having SEND. Ofsted is also 鈥渆xtremely concerned鈥 that over two-thirds of council areas have 鈥渟ignificant weaknesses鈥 in SEND. 8. Rise in independent special schools The number of – sometimes costly – independent special schools has continued to grow from around 520 in August 2020 to 620 currently, the report says. Schools Week has reported on the millions council spend on these schools, as mainstream special schools are 鈥渂ursting at the seams鈥. Source Ofsted Ofsted said the proportion of non-association independent special schools judged ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ has declined slightly from 84 per cent last year to 81 per cent. In mainstream special schools, 89 per cent were rated as the two top grades, similar to 90 per cent last year. 9. Some teacher trainers ‘bolt on’ core content framework The watchdog said it had also identified 鈥渨eaker ITE curriculums鈥, with some providers not having fully implemented the government鈥檚 new core content framework. Some of these weaker providers 鈥渢reat the core content framework as a 鈥榖olt-on鈥, adding key principles in an ad hoc way, with little thought to how they build trainees鈥 knowledge or practice鈥, Ofsted said. 鈥淎lso problematic are providers that rely too heavily on the core content framework, treating it as a generic curriculum model, with little attention to the specific subject expertise trainees will need.鈥 10. ‘Difficulty’ finding teacher training placements Ofsted found during its inspections of initial teacher training that some providers had 鈥渄ifficulty finding school placements鈥. This was for a 鈥渘umber of reasons鈥, including pressure from the pandemic on schools making some 鈥渓ess willing to host trainee teachers鈥. 鈥淓qually, high-quality mentors now have to divide their time between supporting early career teachers on the ECF programme and trainee teachers.鈥 These increased expectations and competing demands have 鈥渆xacerbated previous placement shortages鈥. 11. ECF creates teacher and mentor workload woes Ofsted found many participants in the early career framework, which provides two years of induction for new teachers, and national professional qualifications for more experienced staff, were 鈥渉appy with their training and believe it is helping them to improve in their roles鈥. However, 鈥渟ome early career teachers find it difficult to complete the training alongside their school responsibilities鈥. Schools are 鈥渃oncerned about the workload that the ECF programme creates for early career teachers and mentors鈥.