Inspecting Subjects and Aspects 11-18 Design and Technology

This Ofsted publication is one in a series that gives guidance on inspection of subjects, in this case Design and Technology. Inspectors’ need to evaluate:

• How high are the standards in design and technology, and are they high enough?
• How well are students progressing?
• How well is design and technology taught?

The booklet seeks to provide guidance to inspectors and inform their activity such that they inspect the same curriculum area in the same way using the same criteria. The publication of this guidance came the year after the publication of the ‘Handbook for the Inspection of Schools, (OHMCI September 1998). The purposes and requirements of school inspection under the provision of Section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 were set out in the handbook.

At the time of publication of the series ‘Inspecting Subjects and Aspects 11-18’, inspection reports required each subject to be reported on as a distinct element of the report. The booklet gave guidance to inspectors of Design and Technology what they needed to do:

• Before beginning the inspection

* When you are in the school
evaluating literacy, numeracy and information technology
• Feeding back your inspection finding
• Writing the subject section
of the report
• Evaluating attainment and progress
• Interpreting data
• Using evidence from observations
• Students attitudes to learning
• Teaching
• Curriculum
• Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development
• Staffing, accommodation and resources

• Health and safety

The booklet was written by Her Majesty’s Inspectors, crown-appointed officers, who reported to the Secretary of State on standards of education and related areas. Under the Education (Schools) Act 1992, the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) was created. HMI became part of Ofsted and would supervise the inspection of each state-funded school in the country, and would publish its reports instead of reporting to the Secretary of State.