Opinion

No evidence that ‘brutal’ Ofsted regime works

Inspection updates Workload Accountability Trade unions
If Ofsted cannot show that it achieves its core purpose, what hope does the profession suffering under its tyrannical yoke have? Ofsted is still driving pointless workload and operating with no evidence that its judgements are reliable, says Dr Mary Bousted

I wonder if Ofsted inspectors think of themselves as troops going into battle as they turn up at schools ready to inflict their inspections on an exhausted and stressed teaching profession?

Do they really believe that in the middle of a pandemic, with the added worry of a new Covid variant, they are seeing schools operating normally?

And while I am asking questions: what gives education secretary Nadhim Zahawi the idea that Ofsted is in any way able to “celebrate” the work of teachers and leaders?

“Brutal” is the word now being used to describe the experience of trying, in vain, to explain to Ofsted inspectors that, with 10 teachers off with Covid, including the coordinator of the subject into which the inspectors are doing a deep dive, it is impossible to judge the intent, implementation and impact of the school’s curriculum?

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