Ofsted has begun looking for a new deputy director for post-16 education, training and skills, just weeks before it rolls out sweeping changes to inspections.
The watchdog is advertising the senior post after the departure of Paul Joyce earlier this year. Joyce, who joined Ofsted in 2005, left to take up a deputy principal role at North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College.
His replacement, senior FE and skills inspector Denise Olander, was appointed on an interim basis in March.
A job advert for a permanent replacement to Joyce, published today, describes the role as leading Ofsted’s post-16 strategy and overseeing how FE and skills inspections are carried out.
The person appointed will earn a £108,574 salary and report directly to Ofsted national director of education, Lee Owston.
The move comes as Ofsted prepares to implement a shake-up of inspections. From November 10, the single “overall effectiveness” grade will be scrapped and replaced with a new colour-coded report card.
FE providers will instead be rated across up to 16 areas, including curriculum, achievement, leadership and inclusion. The familiar ‘outstanding’ to ‘inadequate’ judgments will be dropped in favour of a five-point scale running from ‘urgent improvement’ to ‘exceptional’.
Sector leaders have warned that the reforms will not reduce the pressure felt by colleges and training providers. An independent review of the reforms earlier this month found the high-stakes nature of inspection is likely to remain.
Ofsted’s job advert said it is “desirable” but not “essential” for the new post-16 education, training and skills deputy director to have “experience and understanding of inspection within the education sector, as it relates to post-16 education, training and skills remits”.
Applications for the role close on October 14. Final interviews will be held in late November.
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