But they won’t be consulted yet on measures of wellbeing, teenage pregnancy rates and obesity

Teachers will be given a say about new plans for school inspections within a fortnight, but are not expected to be consulted yet on measures to gauge pupils’ wellbeing.

Christine Gilbert, the chief inspector, has already given a strong indication of the most significant alterations that teachers can expect from next September.

They may include replacing the 48-hour notice which schools get with no-notice inspections. High-performing schools are expected to get inspections once every six years, while weaker schools could face annual check-ups.

However, the consultation is not expected to include proposals to measure pupil wellbeing, because those proposals are still in the early stages of development.

The Government announced last year that it would be recommending that Ofsted reflected new “school level” indicators, including bullying and obesity.

A leaked document suggests that there are 18 indicators in total, which also include rates of teenage pregnancies and drug use.

Surveys of pupils and parents may be carried out to help provide informed assessments.

Teachers’ leaders who attended a private meeting where the document was discussed said it was an early draft to provoke debate, and the changes were far from a fait accompli. But they warned it could lead to schools being held
to account for wider problems in society.

Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, said: “We have to guard against data going in to the Ofsted framework that would place ludicrous burdens on schools on issues over which they have no control.”

John Dunford, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said that schools had a contribution to make to children’s wellbeing, and it was right for local authorities to work together to tackle problems such as obesity and teenage pregnancy.

However, he said individual schools should not be held accountable for these problems.

The wellbeing document was discussed at a meeting of the New Relationship with Schools, a group including teaching unions, headteachers and officials from Ofsted and the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). 

Consultations will begin on May 19 at www.ofsted.gov.uk

Read more in this week's TES, out Friday May 9