September 2010

For immediate release

Service to boost schools’ inspection success

A pilot study at Leeds Metropolitan University to offer schools a unique

consultancy service to prepare for inspection by OFSTED (Office for
Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills) has been praised by
primary and secondary schools in Leeds.

The study, led by Dr Martin Samy, Senior Lecturer in Accounting and

Financial Services, was designed to help schools in their self-evaluation which
is required by the governing body, OFSTED, prior to inspection.

Working with four Leeds primary and secondary schools, Dr Samy provided a
consultancy service which identified the individual needs and interests of each
school, produced a bespoke survey to identify the views and perceptions of
teachers, pupils and parents, and presented his findings to the school in a
report. This information can then be used to complete the Self Evaluation
Form (SEF) introduced by OFSTED and to make improvements where
necessary.

The questionnaires take into account both the respondent’s views of the
school’s current situation and their view of what would be ideal. This
information is then presented as statistical data which, together, is a unique
method not used by any existing school effectiveness consultancy centres.

Karen Allan, Head Teacher at Whitecotes Primary School in Leeds,

commented: “What the report we received did was point out all of the strong
aspects of our school and reinforced our areas of strength, particularly
through the children’s and parents’ questionnaires. These tied up with our
expectations but it also highlighted areas that were less positive and gave us
something to focus on specifically. I would recommend the service to other
schools as the statistical basis of the report is such a useful tool which gave
us both evidence for OFSTED and useful information about out school; the
best point being that it was all done by someone else, freeing up our own time
and resources.”

Feedback from the participating schools, including Whitecotes, has shown

that the reports have been very effective in pinpointing problem areas. The
surveys are made up of a tailored range of statements compiled by the Leeds
Metropolitan team in collaboration with two head teachers from schools
independent of the study.

As a result of the study’s success so far, this will now become a major
research activity for Leeds Metropolitan University, with the aim of providing a
bespoke service to schools nationally.

Ends

For further details please contact Carrie Braithwaite in the News and Media
team at Leeds Met on 0113 812 3022 or email c.braithwaite@leedsmet.ac.uk

Notes for editors:

 Leeds Metropolitan University has 30,000 students and over 300,000

associate students through its partnerships with 24 colleges.
 The University has achieved its best ever Research Assessment
Exercise results. Sports-Related Studies is in the top 6 institutions in
the country with research rated at the highest levels of 4* and 3*.
 The University’s award-winning learning environments include the
iconic Rose Bowl building, awarded Best Commercial Property
Development in the 2009 Yorkshire Property Awards; Broadcasting
 Place, winner of the 2010 Leeds Architecture Awards New Building
category and the pioneering Carnegie Village student accommodation.
 Leeds Metropolitan is one of only a handful of UK universities to have
been awarded the Carbon Trust Standard.
 The University is home to The UK Centre for Coaching Excellence for
sport and disability sport and is 3rd in the British University and
Colleges Sport (BUCS) rankings.