In the Ofsted strategy 2022–27, Ofsted committed to evaluating the education inspection framework (EIF) and now they carrying out a programme of evaluation spanning 2 to 3 years, which will start with a process evaluation in 2023 then following this up with an impact evaluation.
Their evaluation programme covers:
- the early years
- schools, including provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and independent schools
- further education and skills, including provision for learners with high needs
The whole programme of evaluation will look at the main things Ofsted designed the EIF to achieve and the processes that are distinct to it. Ofsted have developed a theory of change that identifies how they expect the EIF to work and the impact they expect it to have. Their approach is to evaluate whether the assumptions and mechanisms in the theory of change hold true. Click here for more.