What have Ofsted said about history in schools?

Ever wondered how your history teaching compares to other teachers across the country? Do other history teachers face the same issues as you? What do Ofsted see as outstanding history teaching? What about assessment?  Here we have been through Michael Maddison’s recent report, ‘History for All’ and cut out sections that we think are worth highlighting. This is the last published national report about the state of history teaching in schools by Ofsted.

The full document  can be downloaded from the Ofsted website.

 

What criteria do Ofsted use when they carry out a history subject specific survey?

The history Ofsted team have also published the criteria and statements they use when they grade department in a subject specific survey visit. Whether Ofsted are, or are not carrying out these visits is something of an irrelevance. This is a great document to use when you self evaluating your dept. The statements on pages 4 onwards are specific to history and are well worth a read. It tells you exactly what they are looking for – and we wouldn’t disagree with it.  This document has been updated, taken down, put up depending on the forever changing main Ofsted handbook, so check to see if it is there. If it is…

Visit the Ofsted website and just click on the history button.

If not, be patient, it should return soon.