Beyond Compliance: Writing High-Impact Self-Assessment Reports (SARs) for Inspection Readiness
A focused and practical approach to SAR design
Overview
Is your SAR driving improvement, or just meeting compliance?
This practical webinar shows how to develop a high-impact SAR aligned to the new Ofsted Inspection Toolkit and Report Card model. Learn how to move beyond description to produce clear, evaluative judgments that demonstrate real impact on learners, employers, and communities. You will hear from a provider's voice on how they have designed and use their SAR against the Ofsted Toolkit evaluation criteria.
We’ll cover how to structure your SAR around Ofsted’s key evaluation areas, use data and triangulation effectively, and integrate the learner, employer and stakeholder voice to produce valid and reliable, evidence-based evaluations. You’ll also see how to link your SAR directly to a high-level focused, measurable Quality Improvement Plan (QIP).
Focusing on key priorities, including inclusion, SEND/ALN/EHCP, LSIPs, safeguarding and prevent, progression and careers, this session will help you create a SAR that is confident, strategic, and inspection-ready.
Objectives
This webinar will help delegates to:
- Align SARs to the new Ofsted Inspection Framework Toolkit Evaluation criteria: Structure methodology, content, and judgments using the Toolkit and Report Card criteria, ensuring clear, evaluative (not descriptive) writing mapped to each evaluation area.
- Strengthen evaluative practice: Use data, impact, and triangulation (achievement, progression, destinations, learner, employer and stakeholder voice) to make accurate reliable, valid and evaluative evidence-based judgments, justify strengths and improvements, and avoid common weaknesses.
- Drive improvement and accountability: Use the SAR to inform a measurable QIP, support governance, assurance and risk management, and embed key priorities (inclusion, safeguarding, Prevent, career progression, LSIP, labour market needs) as part of a continuous improvement cycle.
Who Should Attend?
This webinar is designed for all FES and HEI providers (including ITPs, HEIs, employer providers and colleges), apprenticeships, adult learning, Academies and NHS Trusts and 16-19 provision and is suitable for the following roles:
- Senior Leaders
- Principal
- Managing Director and Directors
- Heads/Leads/Managers of Quality and Curriculum
- Inclusion Manager/Lead
- SEND/High-Needs leads
Resources
- SAR outline for provider use
- Example SAR template mapped to the Ofsted inspection Framework Toolkit
Facilitator
Maureen Deary, FE and Skills and Independent Schools Inspector, Strategic Adviser in Quality
Maureen is a current practising further education and skills inspector and lead inspector for the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI). She inspects and provides consultancy support across all FE and Skills and HEI provision and a wide range of sector areas sectors. She works with a range of colleges, prime and sub-contractor/partner training provider organisations and is a consultant and adviser in quality development support and improvement work and has supported organisations for over thirty years in the state, private, schools, further and higher education sectors. . She has lived and worked overseas in the education sector and has held representative sports coaching posts to national level. Maureen has worked for a number of awarding bodies approving new centres, developing qualifications, acting as a Chief and Centre Approvals Verifier/Moderator and Principal Examiner and QCF qualification designer, whilst living in the UK and in Hong Kong and Asia.
Guest Speaker
Ian Smith, FES Consultancy, Inspector, Former Ofsted Senior HMI and Consultant.
Ian Smith is a qualified teacher. He is a former Ofsted Senior Her Majesty’s Inspector and has 20 years recent experience in inspection, having worked as a senior manager for the Adult Learning Inspectorate and then moving to Ofsted. He gained extensive senior management experience as a senior leader in a general further education college and holds a degree level management qualification and a Postgraduate Award in Inspection and Evaluation. Ian has wide experience spanning over 35 years in all aspects of further education and skills and across provider types. Ian has managed a national quality improvement service and has experience of managing education programmes for young people, apprenticeships, community learning and adult skills provisions. He has carried out international work in quality improvement. Currently Ian is working as a consultant and advisor in the Further Education sector.
Guest Speaker
Sue Gomer, Quality Director, Logistica Training & Consultancy
Quality Director at Logistica Training & Consultancy, an experienced senior leader within adult education and apprenticeships. Responsible for Ofsted, Matrix and DFE quality compliance.
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Fees
Member Rate £89.00 + VAT
Non Member Rate £139.00 + VAT
To pay via credit card, please contact our Accounts Team at:
Phone: 0117 947 2095
Email: [email protected]
If you are unable to pay via credit card, we will automatically raise an invoice and send it to you. Once your invoice has been paid, you will receive the confirmation email containing the Zoom joining link.
If you register but are unable to attend, we will send you a copy of the recording after the webinar has taken place.
Beyond Compliance: Writing High-Impact Self-Assessment Reports (SARs) for Inspection Readiness
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