The majority of further education college staff want an end to Ofsted inspections.

A new UCU report, 'A culture of fear and anxiety: UCU members' perceptions of Ofsted inspection in further education', exposes a crisis of confidence in the Ofsted process. The findings show college staff experience high levels of stress and anxiety due to Ofsted inspections, creating a major health and safety risk.

https://www.ucu.org.uk/article/13562/Survey-shows-most-college-staff-want-to-abolish-Ofsted-inspections?utm_source=Mastodon&utm_medium=Social

Behind the decision to retain single term classifications of schools' inspection results lies one key requirement:

'To enable a centrally-run, a market-based education system to stand a chance of functioning, the government needs data. This means performance measures & an inspection regime which allows school status and performance to be viewed easily'.

If anyone knows this its an ex-OFSTED inspector!

We need a cultural change in schools oversight!

#schools #OFSTED
https://theconversation.com/decision-to-stick-with-single-word-ofsted-judgments-is-all-about-control-not-what-is-best-for-schools-former-inspector-228717

Ed Griffiths from Cambridge has written to the Guardian suggesting that 'What’s good enough for schools is good enough for the government, so perhaps you could [suggest] one‑word summaries of the current administration’s performance?'

Which sounds like a good project for a Monday evening.

Mine would be 'Diabolical' in both its conventional use & in its original derivation of 'characteristic of the Devil'.

Chris Riddell on how one-word #Ofsted assessments would apply to the #ToryParty - political cartoon gallery in London original-political-cartoon.com

Hopes that OFSTED would be required to move away from its toxic system of single word summary judgements on schools have been dashed...

This will not end pressure for the reform of OFSTED but show how entrenched its culture of summary judgement & corrosive methods are.

Whether Labour will be any more sympathetic to the campaigners is unclear, but change needs to come if we are to find a better way to support schools to improve.

#schools #OFSTED

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/apr/25/ruth-perry-family-furious-ofsted-single-word-ratings-retained

And yet more problems with #OFSTED... inspectors 'making up' evidence when the organisations creaking IT system crashes taking their (real) notes with it....

The more one know s about OFSTED the less reason there is for the inspection regime to continue in its current form.

Inspections can (and should) be valuable tools to help #schools improve... but the current adversarial & judgemental system (now often utilising fictionalised 'evidence') is:

NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2024/feb/03/ofsted-inspectors-make-up-evidence-about-a-schools-performance-when-it-fails

More on Ofsted: "Ofsted inspectors ‘make up evidence’ about a school’s performance when IT fails"

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2024/feb/03/ofsted-inspectors-make-up-evidence-about-a-schools-performance-when-it-fails

I'm more and more convinced there really is a sickness in English culture around relatively petty power - suspect the reality is way too often that it's "I'm the boss now, obey me losers" not "I have responsibility now".

So today #OFSTED inspections resume... and we will soon be able to tel whether new leadership has shifted the attitudes & approaches of inspectors or if they pious words being spouted by Martyn Oliver are just that... words.

One good move: inspections can now be paused for a day (and up to five times) allowing #headteachers who require support to access it.

But in the end, only a change in the bullying culture of inspectors is going to start us on a road towards better inspections.

As part of its response to its central role in Ruth Perry's suicide, one important change #OFSTED has made is to change the confidentiality rules around inspections.

Now, head Teachers can share the immediate result of the inspection with staff, friends & families to reduce the stress of knowing but not being able to communicate the result.

I know from from Teachers I know that this will was a necessary (but not sufficient) change in the rules.

Lets hope this signals real change at OFSTED!

During the pause in #OFSTED inspections called by new Chief Inspector, Martin Oliver, inspectors will be receiving 'training' on stress alleviation during inspections;

all well & good until you find out such training is a half-day #mentalhealth webinar... I've taught on-line & let me tell you for such a crucial & delicate issue a webinar (with its problems of attention-drifting & lack of real engagement) is NOT THE ANSWER!

No wonder some #schools are considering barring inspectors from entry!

How can #babies fall behind? #Children used to be at #home until five-years old. Not necessarily ideal but goodness me it didn't usually delay communication & development. My brother, me & lots of others grew-up similarly. Mum, busy running a #craft #business from home, Dad #worked long hours. We did watch #TV & listen to #radio (no #computers). We were #read to every evening. Nothing unusual. No delays in #behaviour or #speech. Is this all another #Ofsted invention?

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2024/jan/05/rapid-help-needed-for-covid-babies-who-fell-behind-says-former-ofsted-chief

Here's an interview with the new Chief Inspector of #OFSTED - I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions about whether he is a welcome new broom or mistaken about his own organisation's practice(s).

To be fair to him, we need to wait to see how this plays out... but given the short period it took from #VictoriaAtkins to go from potentially bringing a shift in Govt. #education policy & her swift return to previous Ed.Sec's form, we may not have long to wait to find out!

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2024/jan/02/i-always-felt-a-sense-of-obligation-new-ofsted-chief-ready-for-challenge-martyn-oliver