An independent inquiry, sponsored by the National Education Union, has been set up to look at an alternative system to Ofsted inspection.
“Everyone agrees that schools need to be accountable, and to ensure they are, there needs to be a robust system in place. However, what we currently have with Ofsted is an approach that stirs up stress amongst school leaders that trickles down to staff and pupils. Too often, it punishes rather than supports. The Beyond Ofsted inquiry will rigorously investigate the system and identify what is needed to make it fairer and more effective. A system that does not solely criticise but seeks to provide assistance, especially to those schools that need it most”.
Welcome From The Chair, Lord Jim Knight
Schools must be accountable to parents and taxpayers. They need to be safe and ambitious for their pupils. But they should also be happy and caring environments if they are to nurture the best in pupils and teachers. Our current inspection system creates the opposite.
Too many schools operate in a climate of fear and acute stress. More children are falling behind and dropping out of school, as more teachers are leaving the profession. Change is urgent.
I am delighted to be able to chair this inquiry into the future of school inspection. I am privileged to be supported by both academic experts and an exceptional expert advisory group.
We will carefully examine academic evidence, professional experience and international alternatives. We aim to gain a deeper understanding of the problems with the Ofsted system and then offer practical ways forward.
There is a growing appetite to change school inspections in England, and how their judgements are used in accountability. I am confident we can offer a fairer, more supportive, more consistent and more ambitious way to report on the achievements of our schools. We look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Beyond Ofsted – An Inquiry into the Future of School Inspection
The need for the Inquiry:
Beyond Ofsted is a new inquiry established to develop a set of principles for underpinning a better school inspection system and proposals for an alternative approach.
Ofsted has lost trust as an agency, and there is a growing consensus that the full life of a school cannot be summed up accurately or fairly in a ‘one word’ judgement.
Increasing numbers of teachers, heads and MPs believe that the current inspection system is outdated and should be fundamentally changed in line with the needs of the 21st Century.
Education stakeholders are keen to see positive change around the way schools are inspected. Ofsted has become synonymous with being more punitive than supportive, driving untenable levels of stress for teachers and school heads, and detracting from what should otherwise be a rich and deep learning experience for children.
The composition and scope of the Inquiry:
Beyond Ofsted is chaired by Jim Knight, the Rt Hon Lord Knight of Weymouth and former schools’ minister. It will consider input from a wide range of well-informed voices, in order to set out a new framework for an inspection system fit for the increasingly complex needs of schools today.
The independent inquiry, sponsored by the National Education Union (NEU), will include members of the NEU, industry experts and academics and will provide the government and relevant stakeholders with a robust and carefully considered set of principles on which to build an alternative inspection system.
The inquiry will thoroughly examine evidence from schools across the country and will compare the current inspection system with those from other countries, taking lessons from the latter to build a set of proposals in the final report.
THE REPORT WILL BE PUBLISHED IN NOVEMBER 2023.
LINK TO INQUIRY WEBSITE AND SURVEY
2 comments:
One question - just how does a school go from being 'outstanding' to 'inadequate'?
Under the current (and fairly recent) framework a school fails if safeguarding is inadequate even if all other areas are rated Good or Outstanding. The discussion taking place widely amongst education staff and leaders centres around whether that inadequacy, if it is just a matter of problems with form filling or documentation, should be enough to take a school from one end of the judgement scale to the other. Clearly if poor safeguarding procedures actually put children in danger, or bullying is found, that has to be addressed. Some are arguing that if it is just a matter of problems with documentation that can be quickly remedied, schools should be given a short time to put that right before the final Ofsted Report.
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