This is an especially pertinent guide, as Mr Leeson was previously a director at OFSTED.

Secondary school OFSTED results for the past eighteen months (based on 37 Kent assessments):

These really are Outstanding results for Kent. Especially pleasing are the results for non-selective schools,  as so many critics of Kent's education system suggest that our non-selective schools are not delivering. This verdict not only flies in the face of Kent's GCSE results, which are above the national average, but we can see that in OFSTED terms, the non-selective schools achieve above national levels. I must confess surprise myself, at the high quality of OFSTED verdicts of our non-selective schools, which do make the case for Kent's selective system. Mr Leeson is spot on.   

Primary school OFSTED results for the past eighteen months (based on 182 Kent assessments)

In contrast to our secondary school standards, these results make dismal reading. Taken in conjunction with Kent's below national average Key Stage 2 results, and with 10% of the bottom 200 primary schools at KS2 coming from Kent, there is still  a long way to go. Mr Leeson is again spot on - except that I would say this is THE key issue for KCC, not A key issue. 

I am sure every parent in an under performing Kent primary school (and they are in all parts of Kent) looks forward to seeing what change he can bring about. For myself, I ask the question: why has Kent's primary school performance been so bad for so long, with all the investment in advisers that has been made. I have included Maidstone in this analysis as the poorest performing Kent District  of all. What on earth is going on in our county town? 

Of course, when compared with Medway, Kent's primary OFSTED assessments don't look so bad!