This blog was written by Annie Coles – SDN Mesma Group Technical Education Specialist
When Ofsted talks about pedagogy, they are not trying to add academic pressure to an already demanding job; they are simply trying to understand whether the way teaching is designed helps learners make sense of what they are studying and whether the choices tutors make are intentional rather than accidental. It is clear from the recent reports that inspectors want to see teaching that feels connected, purposeful and sensitive to the needs of learners who arrive with different levels of confidence and readiness. They know that a well-structured approach to teaching unlocks progress more reliably than any policy, process, or system ever could.
When we reviewed the ‘next steps’ sections in the newly published reports in early March, we found that 68% of providers were asked to strengthen pedagogy or teaching practice. This tells us that Ofsted inspectors are placing real emphasis on the way teachers and tutors plan, explain, model and respond in the moment. It also shows that professional development focused on teaching skills is a central cog of high-quality provision.
To demonstrate the prevalence of this, here are examples taken from those reports, leaders should…
- further develop their training for staff to deepen pedagogical skills
- ensure tutors can connect new ideas with prior knowledge
- strengthen the ongoing training programme so trainers can develop teaching skills
- provide targeted development for staff to improve their expertise in teaching learners with additional needs
- strengthen professional learning so tutors widen their range of teaching strategies
- develop staff training so that teaching skills and the quality of support continue to improve
- ensure tutors receive training to secure a consistently high standard of teaching
- strengthen the development of teaching skills to improve online practice
- improve pedagogy so tutors use expert techniques with learners of varied abilities
- maintain strong pedagogical knowledge through meaningful professional development
- identify areas for improvement in lessons and use these to inform development plans
- enhance professional development so that inclusive teaching continues to strengthen
These examples show a consistent message; inspectors are highlighting the thinking that teachers and tutors apply before, during and after a learning event, rather than focusing on the actual performance or presentation. They want to know that tutors understand how learning builds over time, how prior learning is revisited, how misconceptions are addressed and how feedback helps learners refine their practice.
This is not a new focus for Ofsted, but it suggests this is an area that continues to be a challenge for all types of providers to get right.
If you want to turn this into something practical for your team, it helps to start with goals that feel focused and distinct:
Make the intended learning clear in every session, so the learner understands:
- The purpose of each activity
- How it links to previous learning
Use assessment as a guide for the next step, not as an endpoint. This:
- Shows learners that their progress matters
- Gives tutors clear information to adjust their approach
Support staff to use modelling more deliberately. Well-chosen demonstrations:
- Reduce cognitive load
- Give learners clearer entry points into complex tasks
Create opportunities for tutors to practise giving clear, actionable feedback. This can help with:
- Growing a learner’s confidence
- Preventing dips in confidence
Leaders must support this by engaging with a professional development programme that focuses on the decisions tutors make rather than relying solely on generic training. It helps to create time for staff to talk through what worked, what did not, and what they want to try next.
Leaders must also allow time for teachers to hold pedagogical conversations with colleagues and embed reflection into everyday practice rather than treating pedagogy as an occasional priority. Curriculum managers and quality teams can reinforce this by using coaching, observation and learner voice to surface real examples that help the organisation understand where to focus its attention.
Pedagogy matters because it is the engine of learner progress; it shapes confidence, supports equity and brings life to the curriculum.
The fact that 68% of 73 providers inspected under the new toolkit were asked to strengthen pedagogy or teaching practice tells us the challenge is shared nationally and gives us a helpful steer to focus on the specific aspects of teaching that matter most for learners.
When providers invest in the everyday teaching decisions that shape the learner journey, inspection outcomes tend to reflect the strength of that commitment and ultimately do what they set out to achieve: to educate.
Questions for leaders:
- How well do we understand the teaching skills that our teachers and tutors need, and do our professional development plans, informed by the EEF’s Effective Professional Development Guidance, provide the practical support required to strengthen those skills in everyday practice?
- Are tutors helping learners make meaningful links between new ideas and what they have already learned, and what evidence do we have that this is happening with enough consistency to sustain progress?
- How effectively are we identifying areas of teaching that need strengthening, and how reliably are we using that insight to shape professional development that improves the experience for all learners, including those who need more targeted support?
- Do our teachers and tutors have access to the kind of practical, thoughtful development that keeps their pedagogical knowledge alive; and how do we create the conditions where they feel confident using a wider range of strategies, both in person and online, with groups of mixed confidence and ability?
Questions for teachers and tutors:
- How do I help learners make sense of new ideas by connecting them back to what they already know, and how can I strengthen this?
- How do I check whether learning is genuinely secure before moving on, and what small adjustments could help me respond more confidently in the moment or adjust the continued plan for learning?
- How varied and purposeful are the strategies I use with learners of different abilities, and what new approaches would help me reach more of them more reliably?
- How often do I communicate and gain feedback from my learners to know the strategies I use are effective?
Free webinar series: The Revised Ofsted Education Inspection Framework
The revision followed a long consultation initially titled “The Big Listen”. It was the largest-ever public consultation on key changes in how Ofsted inspects education and skills providers.
Since the consultation, SDN Mesma Group have hosted free-to-access webinars helping providers unpack the changes together with colleagues from across the sector.
We look at how these changes shape future inspections, impact inclusion, and self-assessment, and look at the practical implications. Join the free Ofsted session, and catch up on previous sessions, here.
Tools that support your organisation to develop high-quality teaching practices
The Mesma software platform supports effective and efficient quality improvement activities across all areas, including pedagogy. From diagnostic templates that prompt practitioners to ask the right questions helping them to identify opportunities to improve, to analytics that provide real-time insights, fast, so that activities are focused on the most important things.
This blog is based on findings from published reports up to 06/03/26.