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Problems hit school data systems Problems hit school data systems
(about 2 hours later)
A web-based system to help schools in England analyse pupil attainment and complete their self-evaluation and target-setting has been delayed.A web-based system to help schools in England analyse pupil attainment and complete their self-evaluation and target-setting has been delayed.
The new Raiseonline system was supposed to replace Ofsted's performance and assessment (Panda) reports this term.The new Raiseonline system was supposed to replace Ofsted's performance and assessment (Panda) reports this term.
But schools are having to use last year's data because the system might not be fully operational for months.But schools are having to use last year's data because the system might not be fully operational for months.
And the online, interactive self-evaluation forms they must complete are also inaccessible.And the online, interactive self-evaluation forms they must complete are also inaccessible.
These latest problems follow the suspension of another major web-based development: School Profiles, which replace governors' annual reports.These latest problems follow the suspension of another major web-based development: School Profiles, which replace governors' annual reports.
Schools' access to those has been shut off while changes are made.Schools' access to those has been shut off while changes are made.
Data analysisData analysis
The old Panda reports were created by Ofsted to help its inspectors evaluate all the available statistics about schools' performance.The old Panda reports were created by Ofsted to help its inspectors evaluate all the available statistics about schools' performance.
Realising how useful they were, it also made them available to schools - although head teachers differ in the extent to which they share the information with staff, governors and certainly parents, who may often not have heard of them.Realising how useful they were, it also made them available to schools - although head teachers differ in the extent to which they share the information with staff, governors and certainly parents, who may often not have heard of them.
The Department for Education and Skills (DfES) produces a "pupil achievement tracker", another tool for analysing the performance and progress of pupils.The Department for Education and Skills (DfES) produces a "pupil achievement tracker", another tool for analysing the performance and progress of pupils.
It and Ofsted have been working on a system to combine these in a single interactive tool, which is Raiseonline. The Raise is an acronym for "reporting and analysis for improvement through school self-evaluation".It and Ofsted have been working on a system to combine these in a single interactive tool, which is Raiseonline. The Raise is an acronym for "reporting and analysis for improvement through school self-evaluation".
"It gives the flexibility to identify school specific issues and 'drill down' to investigate, at pupil level, the areas where improvement is most or least marked," Ofsted told schools in its summer term newsletter."It gives the flexibility to identify school specific issues and 'drill down' to investigate, at pupil level, the areas where improvement is most or least marked," Ofsted told schools in its summer term newsletter.
Each school would have access to data about its national curriculum tests and examination results, the progress made by its pupils and contextual information about the school.Each school would have access to data about its national curriculum tests and examination results, the progress made by its pupils and contextual information about the school.
They would be able to update their own copy of the data to see how performance was affected, and could share this analysis as they chose.They would be able to update their own copy of the data to see how performance was affected, and could share this analysis as they chose.
'Ground-breaking''Ground-breaking'
Special reports would draw attention to key messages arising from new "contextual value added" data about pupils' progress, which takes account of their backgrounds.Special reports would draw attention to key messages arising from new "contextual value added" data about pupils' progress, which takes account of their backgrounds.
"There will also be an exceptions report that identifies the key issues for a school and takes the reader straight to the interactive environment to allow them to investigate these areas further," schools were told."There will also be an exceptions report that identifies the key issues for a school and takes the reader straight to the interactive environment to allow them to investigate these areas further," schools were told.
But - halfway through the autumn term - the project has been delayed.But - halfway through the autumn term - the project has been delayed.
Ofsted blames this on its development being "a complicated, ground-breaking process".Ofsted blames this on its development being "a complicated, ground-breaking process".
Setting out its new target dates for data delivery, Ofsted said: "We recognise that the timetable below does not match our earlier expectations and that schools will not be able to use the system to any great extent this term for their self evaluation and target setting work."Setting out its new target dates for data delivery, Ofsted said: "We recognise that the timetable below does not match our earlier expectations and that schools will not be able to use the system to any great extent this term for their self evaluation and target setting work."
Self-evaluation forms are fundamental to schools' ongoing improvement and preparedness for Ofsted inspections. School inspection teams will be able to consider any analysis of this year's performance data that schools can themselves present, however.
But head teachers have been told their access is "disabled". Self-evaluation forms, now also done online, are fundamental to schools' ongoing improvement and preparedness for Ofsted inspections.
For more information, they are told to "visit the interactive SEF site" - which, at the time BBC News tried it, was a broken link. But head teachers have been told their access is currently "disabled".