Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA)

1. Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA) Mike Cladingbowl Her Majesty's Inspector, Ofsted 21 April 2009

2. Ofsted’s key duties • We are to promote improvement in the public services we inspect or regulate • We are to ensure services are focused on users • We are to see that services are efficient and effective Education and Inspections Act 2006

3. CAA story update SSRG in November 2009 Response to Ofsted consultation Joint CAA framework published on 10 February 2009 Inspection pilots (looked after children and safeguarding) Joint CAA guidance published on 31 March 2009 Lord Laming report (and government response) Frameworks and guidance for looked after children and safeguarding inspections in May 2009 Arrangements for annual rating of performance of council children's services in May 2009

4. Main elements of CAA Area assessment (unscored) Organisational assessment (scored) ‘Priorities, outcomes & prospects’ ‘Managing performance & use of resources’ Ofsted rating for council children’s services Narrative reporting on Every Child Matters Risk-based, proportionate, bespoke inspections Few ‘rolling’ programmes of inspection

5. CAA Quarterly and Annual Cycle January/March/June Quarters Joint inspectorate Individual inspectorates Stage 3Draft findings agreed between inspectorates and shared with area & government office Peer quality assurance in June/July Stage 1Review outcomes quarterly Initial identification of tags and possible flags for area assessment Stage 2 Joint analysis of outcomes in relation to local and national priorities Joint consideration of other possible tags and flags and evidence for organisational assessment score September Quarter November Stages 1-3 Update stages 1-3 Stage 4 Report drafted and shared Stage 5 Final quality assurance Stage 6 Share report with area & government office Stage 7 Final report Formal evaluation at end of year 1 and subsequently

6. Unfinished business from November… • Response to consultation • Learning from trials • Self-evaluation • Performance bands for NIS • Additional underpinning data • IT and systems (Sharepoint/passwords) • Pilots of safeguarding and looked after children inspections • Methodology for producing the rating

7. Safeguarding and looked after children • full inspection of safeguarding and services for looked after children three-yearly with other inspectorates - single event, single report but separate judgements - universal through to specialist - strategic management through to quality of practice - case files, meetings, documents, observation - multi-agency prevention and intervention • New surveys of users, social work & other staff, and the third sector • Inspection over two weeks • Typically four inspectors

8. Safeguarding judgements Overall effectiveness - capacity to improve - recommendations and required actions Leadership & management, including partnerships Quality of provision Outcomes for children and young people - children are safe - children feel safe

9. Looked after children judgements Overall effectiveness - capacity to improve - recommendations and required actions Leadership & management, including partnerships Quality of provision Outcomes for children and young people - Being healthy - Staying safe - Enjoying and achieving - Making a positive contribution - Achieving economic wellbeing

10. Unannounced inspections • annual unannounced inspection of contact, assessment and referral for children in need or who may be in need of protection - evaluation of how well practice manages risk, minmising incidence of abuse and neglect but not a proxy for full safeguarding or even all child protection work - working alongside front-line staff • Report by letter identifying strengths and weaknesses - single event, single report but separate judgements - universal through to specialist • New surveys • Typically two inspectors for two days

11. A new profile of performance & rating Area Assessment Inspection & regulation findings Annual rating of children’s services Every Child Matters indicators (NIS) ? Organisational Assessment

12. Likely groupings in new profile of performance (summary) Childminders Childcare on domestic premises Childcare on non-domestic premises Nurseries (in schools) Primary Schools Secondary schools Special schools Pupil referral units Sixth form (in schools, secondary and PRU) GFE and tertiary colleges 6 form colleges Independent specialist colleges Children’s homes LA fostering agency LA adoption agency Private fostering

13. Principles • Greater emphasis on the findings of inspection and regulation • Complements and informs CAA (priorities, outcomes, prospects) • Recognises importance of good or better quality services for all - 80% good or better - 65% good or better - 50% good or better • Takes account of safeguarding and looked after children inspections • ‘Rules’ based, aiding transparency and consistency • Role of the NIS – 2009 and beyond • No briefings

14. Timescale for rating • Profiles available in June • Draft rating by mid September • Appeal process – tight time scale • Rating confirmed early October • Published in CAA organisational assessment and by letter • Text in CAA area and organisational assessment • Year 1 – may need explanation of particular rating with draft training in mid September

15. Ofsted’s CAA team New team… • Divisional manager (SCS) • Managing Inspector • 12 specialist inspectors (HMI) organised by GO regions Complemented by… • New ‘link inspectors’ for across full remit • ‘Front-of-house’ and offer a view on patterns of performance as well as on individual inspections or regulatory activity • ‘Available on request’ but not intending routine KIT meetings