Latest news with #PaulWhiteman
The Independent
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Teaching union welcomes ‘long-overdue' Ofsted move to tailor inspections
A school leaders' union has welcomed Ofsted plans to provide more tailored inspections of schools and in further education, describing it as 'long overdue'. Ofsted announced on Thursday that all inspections would be led by current His Majesty's Inspectors (HMIs), or someone with recent experience in the role, to provide more in-depth inspection expertise and training. At the same time, contracted Ofsted inspectors – who often work in schools and colleges themselves – will be deployed as team inspectors by having their expertise matched to specific types of provision. The regulator said the changes, which will be introduced in November, would deliver improved consistency and 'more insightful, context-aware inspections that will better serve children, learners and education providers'. It comes after Ofsted held a public consultation on planned reforms to its service, the details of which will be published in September. Inspectors having a lack of expertise or experience in the specific types of provision they inspect was one issue aired during the consultation. The new plans will mean at least one inspector on the team will have previous experience of working in that provision for most inspections. They will not apply to early years inspections, which are usually conducted by individuals rather than teams. Paul Whiteman, general secretary at the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), said: 'We welcome this sensible, long-overdue move. NAHT has long called for all inspections to be led by experienced HMIs with the right level of experience and we have also highlighted the importance of inspectors having experience of the type of school they inspect. 'It goes without saying that these changes will only be effective if the underlying inspection system is reliable and fit for purpose.' The NAHT was among the unions who previously suggested it would encourage members to quit as Ofsted inspectors unless changes were made to the proposed reforms, including to the five-point grading scale. New report cards for this grading system are also due to be rolled out in November. Mr Whiteman continued: 'The profession has been united opposing the inspectorate's plans to judge schools on even more areas and to now try and spring a revised version of these proposals upon schools with less than a term's notice – with no guarantee these concerns will be addressed. 'We urge Ofsted to work with us to rethink these ill-conceived plans, which have been roundly rejected by the profession, and will ultimately impact the ability of school leaders and teachers to deliver the education children deserve.' Ofsted's chief inspector Sir Martyn Oliver said: 'We want to make sure our inspections are as consistent as possible, from Cornwall to Northumberland. 'We have already put stronger quality assurance measures in place, and utilising the expertise of our workforce as effectively as we can is another significant step forward. 'All inspection teams will have the right blend of inspection expertise and current sector insight. This will help us better understand the context of the schools and colleges we inspect, to provide a fair and accurate report for parents.'
Evening Standard
24-06-2025
- General
- Evening Standard
School leaders' unions consider encouraging members to quit as Ofsted inspectors
The latest letter – signed by the ASCL's Pepe Di'Iasio and the NAHT's Paul Whiteman – said: 'We are writing to you further to our joint letter with NASUWT and NEU to inform you ASCL Council recently determined that unless there are changes to both the timeframe of implementation and to the five-point grading scale, then ASCL will consider encouraging its members to withdraw their service from Ofsted as OIs in the autumn term.
Powys County Times
10-06-2025
- Science
- Powys County Times
Pupils could gain more face-to-face time with teachers under AI plans
Pupils could benefit from more face-to-face time with their teachers under the Government's plans for artificial intelligence (AI) use in schools. The Department for Education (DfE) has launched guidance for schools and colleges in England on how teachers can use generative AI safely. It suggests AI can cut down administrative tasks – such as generating letters, reports and planning lessons – to give teachers more time to work with pupils. But the guidance also calls on teachers to always check outputs generated by AI for 'accuracy' and it insists that personal data should be protected. School leaders' unions have welcomed the resources but they said further investment is needed to unlock the potential benefits of AI in education. The support materials suggest that generative AI could be used to help teachers with formative assessments – such as generating quizzes and 'offering feedback on errors' – as well as generating 'exam-style questions'. Generative AI tools can also help staff with administrative tasks such as composing emails and letters, policy writing and planning trips, it added. One section of the guidance demonstrates how AI could be used to generate a letter to parents and carers about a head lice outbreak at the school. It said: 'Strategic implementation of AI can cut down administrative tasks for leaders, teachers and support staff, particularly in areas such as data analysis, lesson planning, report generation and correspondence. 'This could allow educators more time to work directly with students and pupils and help to reduce workload if implemented well.' But educators should only use AI tools 'approved' in their setting, it added. AI should also only be used by teachers for formative, low-stakes marking – such as classroom quizzes or homework, the DfE has said. Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders' union NAHT, said: 'These resources are a welcome source of support for education staff. 'AI has huge potential benefits for schools and children's learning but it is important that these are harnessed in the right way and any pitfalls avoided. 'Government investment in future testing and research is vital as staff need reliable sources of evaluation – supported with evidence – on the benefits, limitations and risks of AI tools and their potential uses.' Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: 'The great potential of AI is in easing staff workloads which are driven by system-wide pressures and are a major cause of recruitment and retention challenges. 'If we can get this right it will improve working conditions and help address teacher shortages. 'However, there are some big issues which need to be resolved and paramount is ensuring that all schools and colleges have the technology and training they need. 'Budgets are extremely tight because of the huge financial pressures on the education sector and realising the potential benefits of AI requires investment.' The DfE has said it is investing an extra £1 million in funding to accelerate the development of AI tools to help with marking and generating detailed, tailored feedback for individual students. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: 'We're putting cutting-edge AI tools into the hands of our brilliant teachers to enhance how our children learn and develop – freeing teachers from paperwork so they can focus on what parents and pupils need most: inspiring teaching and personalised support.'
Leader Live
10-06-2025
- Leader Live
Pupils could gain more face-to-face time with teachers under AI plans
The Department for Education (DfE) has launched guidance for schools and colleges in England on how teachers can use generative AI safely. It suggests AI can cut down administrative tasks – such as generating letters, reports and planning lessons – to give teachers more time to work with pupils. But the guidance also calls on teachers to always check outputs generated by AI for 'accuracy' and it insists that personal data should be protected. School leaders' unions have welcomed the resources but they said further investment is needed to unlock the potential benefits of AI in education. The support materials suggest that generative AI could be used to help teachers with formative assessments – such as generating quizzes and 'offering feedback on errors' – as well as generating 'exam-style questions'. Generative AI tools can also help staff with administrative tasks such as composing emails and letters, policy writing and planning trips, it added. One section of the guidance demonstrates how AI could be used to generate a letter to parents and carers about a head lice outbreak at the school. It said: 'Strategic implementation of AI can cut down administrative tasks for leaders, teachers and support staff, particularly in areas such as data analysis, lesson planning, report generation and correspondence. 'This could allow educators more time to work directly with students and pupils and help to reduce workload if implemented well.' But educators should only use AI tools 'approved' in their setting, it added. AI should also only be used by teachers for formative, low-stakes marking – such as classroom quizzes or homework, the DfE has said. Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders' union NAHT, said: 'These resources are a welcome source of support for education staff. 'AI has huge potential benefits for schools and children's learning but it is important that these are harnessed in the right way and any pitfalls avoided. 'Government investment in future testing and research is vital as staff need reliable sources of evaluation – supported with evidence – on the benefits, limitations and risks of AI tools and their potential uses.' Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: 'The great potential of AI is in easing staff workloads which are driven by system-wide pressures and are a major cause of recruitment and retention challenges. 'If we can get this right it will improve working conditions and help address teacher shortages. 'However, there are some big issues which need to be resolved and paramount is ensuring that all schools and colleges have the technology and training they need. 'Budgets are extremely tight because of the huge financial pressures on the education sector and realising the potential benefits of AI requires investment.' The DfE has said it is investing an extra £1 million in funding to accelerate the development of AI tools to help with marking and generating detailed, tailored feedback for individual students. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: 'We're putting cutting-edge AI tools into the hands of our brilliant teachers to enhance how our children learn and develop – freeing teachers from paperwork so they can focus on what parents and pupils need most: inspiring teaching and personalised support.' She added: 'By harnessing AI's power to cut workloads, we're revolutionising classrooms and driving high standards everywhere – breaking down barriers to opportunity so every child can achieve and thrive.'
South Wales Guardian
10-06-2025
- South Wales Guardian
Pupils could gain more face-to-face time with teachers under AI plans
The Department for Education (DfE) has launched guidance for schools and colleges in England on how teachers can use generative AI safely. It suggests AI can cut down administrative tasks – such as generating letters, reports and planning lessons – to give teachers more time to work with pupils. But the guidance also calls on teachers to always check outputs generated by AI for 'accuracy' and it insists that personal data should be protected. School leaders' unions have welcomed the resources but they said further investment is needed to unlock the potential benefits of AI in education. The support materials suggest that generative AI could be used to help teachers with formative assessments – such as generating quizzes and 'offering feedback on errors' – as well as generating 'exam-style questions'. Generative AI tools can also help staff with administrative tasks such as composing emails and letters, policy writing and planning trips, it added. One section of the guidance demonstrates how AI could be used to generate a letter to parents and carers about a head lice outbreak at the school. It said: 'Strategic implementation of AI can cut down administrative tasks for leaders, teachers and support staff, particularly in areas such as data analysis, lesson planning, report generation and correspondence. 'This could allow educators more time to work directly with students and pupils and help to reduce workload if implemented well.' But educators should only use AI tools 'approved' in their setting, it added. AI should also only be used by teachers for formative, low-stakes marking – such as classroom quizzes or homework, the DfE has said. Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders' union NAHT, said: 'These resources are a welcome source of support for education staff. 'AI has huge potential benefits for schools and children's learning but it is important that these are harnessed in the right way and any pitfalls avoided. 'Government investment in future testing and research is vital as staff need reliable sources of evaluation – supported with evidence – on the benefits, limitations and risks of AI tools and their potential uses.' Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: 'The great potential of AI is in easing staff workloads which are driven by system-wide pressures and are a major cause of recruitment and retention challenges. 'If we can get this right it will improve working conditions and help address teacher shortages. 'However, there are some big issues which need to be resolved and paramount is ensuring that all schools and colleges have the technology and training they need. 'Budgets are extremely tight because of the huge financial pressures on the education sector and realising the potential benefits of AI requires investment.' The DfE has said it is investing an extra £1 million in funding to accelerate the development of AI tools to help with marking and generating detailed, tailored feedback for individual students. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: 'We're putting cutting-edge AI tools into the hands of our brilliant teachers to enhance how our children learn and develop – freeing teachers from paperwork so they can focus on what parents and pupils need most: inspiring teaching and personalised support.' She added: 'By harnessing AI's power to cut workloads, we're revolutionising classrooms and driving high standards everywhere – breaking down barriers to opportunity so every child can achieve and thrive.'
