Teachers will be judged by Ofsted on their ability to help pupils learn and not on their entertainment value in the classroom, Sir Michael Wilshaw, the inspections chief has said.
He told an audience of educationalists that every teacher needs to develop a style of teaching which is flexible enough to cope with the demands of the lesson.
Sir Michael told a debate organised by Teach First and the RSA: “A good lesson is about what works, so this is a plea for pragmatism and not ideology in the way we judge the quality of teaching.
"In my experience a formulaic approach rigidly prescribed as part of the inspection process traps too many in a stultifying and stifling mould which does not demand their use of imaginative, initiative or common sense. Too much direction is as bad as too little."
He said good planning was important so teachers knew what resources they needed, but that it should not be too detailed. They needed to be aware of when the mood of the lesson changed so they could alter their approach to get pupils back on track.
He added: “The worst lessons are those where a teacher ploughs through the plan irrespective of how well, or how badly, the lesson is going. Ofsted won't require lesson plans when observing, but they will want to see a planned lesson."
It was important for teachers to adapt as the lesson went on, and to acknowledge they did not have to know the answers to every question to be outstanding. The best teachers were happy to seek advice from others and to be observed by others themselves, he said. They also understood the dynamics of the class and could dictate the pace of a lesson.
He continued: “Crucially, a good teacher understands the maxim that nothing is taught unless it is learned, and they are great at picking out the inattentive child to make sure they are keeping up."
Sir Michael told the audience that the most important aspect of good headship was effective leadership of teaching. He said teachers needed to see “highly visible" heads around the school who had “the energy to walk the walk, and not just talk the talk".
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