Forest Arts Music Hub

Music Mark welcomed HMI Christopher Stevens to present an Ofsted update. You can watch the recording here.  

Overview 

• The Education Inspection Framework (EIF) has a renewed approach – not a new approach. 
• The EIF that has been used up until now, and the renewed framework are designed to evaluate the quality of education in schools. They have never been designed to evaluate the quality of education in individual subjects. 
• ‘Striking the right note’ and the music research review are still relevant as they make sense of the principles set out in the EIF within the context of music education.  

What is new?

• The Renewed EIF takes effect from November 2025. 
• Report cards will be introduced from November 2025. 

New toolkits 

This inspection toolkit is based on statutory duties and non-statutory guidance, professional standards, research and inspection evidence. What inspectors are looking for is based on the same research that underpinned the EIF. The State-funded school inspection toolkit shows how Ofsted will assess and grade all providers in different evaluation areas. For schools (including early years and further education) there is an evaluation area for curriculum and teaching. As before, inspectors are considering how well the curriculum is sequenced and how well teachers adapt their approaches for pupils with different starting points. 

New inspection methodology 

Evidence during inspection will no longer be gathered with deep dives. If music is an identified strength of the school, encourage leaders to tell inspectors during the ‘planning call’. The aim of the planning call is ‘to have a meaningful and professional conversation about the school, its context, and leaders’ views about its strengths and priorities for improvement’.  

Your questions answered by Music Mark Schools Manager Abi)

You asked: ‘How do we get the Music Mark’ and ‘How do we get Artsmark’?

Abi answers: ‘It is GREAT that teachers are asking how they can work towards a quality mark for the music education they deliver in school. We know you are extremely proud of what you do and what your pupils achieve, so here are three clarifications on quality marks’: 

1. There is no quality award for music called the Music Mark. We, Music Mark, are one of the subject associations for music education, and despite the word ‘mark’ being in our organisation name we do not award schools with a ‘Music Mark’. We do have membership for schools to access training and events, and we launched the ‘Music Mark of Recognition’ for schools in September. Find out more about the Music Mark of Recognition for schools here.
2. The Artsmark award is the only award for arts and culture provision in England. It is a whole school development tool accredited by Arts Council England with a framework designed to work alongside your school intent, implementation and is awarded based on the impact you can demonstrate. Your commitment to music can be the focus of your Artsmark journey. For further information visit artsmark.org.uk.
3. We work closely with the other two subject associations for Music Education – The Independent Society of Musicians (ISM) and The Music Teachers Association (MTA). MTA have recently launched the MTA Quality Mark, find out more here. 

What do you need to know about assessment in relation to the renewed Ofsted framework, as a music educator? 

Chris (Stevens) reminded us that:  

‘Our [Ofsted’s] grading standards are based on what schools are already required to do, based on statutory duties, and statutory and non-statutory guidance’’  

You can find this on page 18 of the toolkit in the curriculum and teaching evaluation section, where it also says inspectors gather evidence relating to factors such as using assessment effectively to inform teaching and learning, and to help pupils embed key concepts, use knowledge fluently and develop their understanding. 

Whilst showing us through the new toolkit, Chris quoted Sir Martin Oliver (Ofsted Chief Inspector) from a speech he gave in April this year, who said, “the toolkit will make it clearer than ever that schools shouldn’t be doing anything just for the days that our inspectors come in”.  

The takeaway, and encouraging message for you as music educators, is that assessment is for you – it is to inform your teaching and learning. Don’t create a method of assessment for the sake of inspection. Have methods of assessment that help you, as the professional, identify that your pupils are making progress and that the curriculum is effective.

Your questions answered by Music Mark Schools Manager

You asked many questions about assessment during the Q&A that followed Chris’s presentation. Many focused on ‘evidence’, for example: 

• Do we need video evidence?  
• How can we show evidence if Ofsted don’t want photos or notes?  
• How do I evidence progress?

Though the message stated above is that you do not need any specific evidence for Ofsted, such as photos or videos, I observed the anxiety that many teachers had during the session about being caught out, e.g. not having the proof to show an inspector that their children were getting a good quality music education and were making progress.  

Here are my recommendations: 

1. Keep the evidence that you need.
   This will vary for vocal and instrumental learning. These might be audio recordings, videos, where you can listen or watch back. Remember, it is to inform your teaching.
2. Have a school strategy.
   Be clear about what your starting points are for each year group and how you will check progress, considering the transition points between year groups and key stages. 
3. Teach regularly.
   The regular provision of music teaching will help to embed learning and give you confidence that your students are reaching the milestones you have planned for them. 
4. Have evidence for the purpose of celebration.
   Do keep evidence that makes you proud of your teaching and what your students have achieved. Have recorded evidence, not because you have to, but because you want to highlight that music is a strength of your school and be equipped to showcase this.