Head Teacher refuses Ofsted inspection

[sherlock]

Following the suicide of another Head Teacher due to the stress caused by Ofsted.

Headteacher to refuse Ofsted inspection after death of fellow principal Ruth Perry

The headteacher of Caversham Primary School, Ruth Perry, took her own life on 8 January while awaiting a damning Ofsted report that downgraded the school's rating.

news.sky.com

Brave and deserves everyone’s support.

Ofsted are a toxic organisation who cause untold stress across schools and local authorities. Something needs to change.

 

[Quicksilvera]

Following the suicide of another Head Teacher due to the stress caused by Ofsted.

Headteacher to refuse Ofsted inspection after death of fellow principal Ruth Perry

The headteacher of Caversham Primary School, Ruth Perry, took her own life on 8 January while awaiting a damning Ofsted report that downgraded the school's rating.

news.sky.com

Brave and deserves everyone’s support.

Ofsted are a toxic organisation who cause untold stress across schools and local authorities. Something needs to change.

What an extremely sad story this is, I support Flora 100%!

 

[Il Preside]

Shocking - Ofsted is an antiquated institution well passed its sell by date - serves no real
purpose. Never understood how a few grey suited cronies who have never taught in their lives can spend just over one day - yes ONE day in a place and make such sweeping judgements about it - crazy.

 

[Bristolboro]

Most people in the teaching profession (I am one of them) know that the fascist institution of OFSTED is bad for the health of schools and the mental health of teachers. Take no notice of the crude grading system they use, all it means is that 'outstanding' schools comply with their very narrow view of teaching and learning, and 'good' schools are learning to comply.
The trouble with this surveillance system is that those who do the surveillance - the inspectors - are paid very well, much more than the teachers they inspect. This means that it has to justify itself and it does this through its language of (pedagogical) judgement, threat and punishment, as with all fascist institutions. Because it has been doing this for so long and because schools that hate it still let OFSTED through their doors, and the public believe the judgements it makes, then it will be a very difficult institution to dismantle. Hopefully, this is the start, but it's more likely the headteacher will be sacked.

 

[Ingleby_Flash]

Shocking - Ofsted is an antiquated institution well passed its sell by date - serves no real
purpose. Never understood how a few grey suited cronies who have never taught in their lives can spend just over one day - yes ONE day in a place and make such sweeping judgements about it - crazy.

Not entirely correct. I support a school and while we are concerned about OFSTED coming, and we’ve had outstanding and good reports in the past, we’ve found the inspectors to be good and bad in their judgements. I agree it’s **** that their findings are so judgemental in such a narrow way. However i also work with a number of educational people, including former teachers and head teachers, who also work for OFSTED, who’s professionalism I really value in other areas, so I assume they don’t just become monsters when they put their Ofsted hats on.

all of that said I’m not comfortable with the system and the extent that it seems adversarial, there must be a better way.

 

[sherlock]

Look at the insensitivity of this inspection front page.

 

[sherlock]

Confirmation that ‘inadequate’ rating on safeguarding was a paperwork/policy issue and that no children had actually been put at risk of harm.

And someone lost their life over this

 

[sherlock]

It seems the inspection is going ahead under protest as Ofsted have threatened legal consequences for refusal

 

[Redwurzel]

Some regular external inspection is necessary in my opinion.

My experience of Ofsted is that their inspectors are under pressure to be critical within a quite heavily prescribed and inflexible framework - hence they seem fascist.

Their job to me should be to spread good practice not spread fear. To me they often failed to spread good practice. For example I never received any individual feedback from an Inspector when they observed my teaching. The report would only describe all the teaching of the College or large sections. They would come in for 20 minutes of a 60/120 minute lesson and grade a lesson based on that. In those 20 minutes you were expected to show attainment by the learners (evidence of learning taking place). For some subject at higher levels this is difficult hence the quality of the teaching inspection to me could be variable - one year outstanding the next satisfactory etc. Over 80% of a ofsted inspection now appears to be paperwork alot of it fairly irrelevant to the teaching experience. But if its not there you are a failing establishment. It is killing the enjoyment of teaching and probably the quality.

 

[Big_Nothing]

One of the reasons I wouldn't dream of working in the UK in teaching again.

 

[Acklam_Lad]

Regular checks and balances are a part of life and are needed. However OFSTED isn’t fit for purpose and does more harm than good.

I have a friend in Dorset working in a village school with less than 100 kids. The LA has been trying to close them for years and never succeeded so the latest attempt was to tell them they need to join an academy. The school rejected this and next thing you know the inspectors were arriving.

They were giving a very dubious needs improvement status for not being diverse enough…

 

[Cardiffdaffs]

With every assessment system there are weaknesses . Bank inspectors, external auditors many sectors have them and you have good and bad. Ingleby that was a very good post and highlights the issues.

Whilst there are bad OFSTED inspectors who enjoy their power there are also excellent ones who see their role as adding value to the school and its teachers and governors. I am a school governor and have read some excellent and helpful reports appreciated by the staff. but have also read unhelpful and even spiteful comments too and that is down to the i individual inspector's chosen language and opinion. And thats the trouble. There are too many bad ones and the system is therefore wrong that allows them to do that damage. It needs a culture change to a more supportive less adversarial one.

 

[Zanzibobs]

One of the reasons I wouldn't dream of working in the UK in teaching again.

I’m presuming you’re a teacher. I’ve worked abroad and now back in England. The difference is ridiculous. Enough extra time to do a great job teaching abroad, planning, resourcing and assessing kids to give them the best provision possible. I remember being inspected by the BSO, had a really good chat with the inspector in my maths lesson, explaining what I was doing and the rationale. He was very appreciative and positive making it a good experience. Never had an ofsted, dreading it because of the pressure everyone is under. Just an awful situation.
I’m looking to get away again asap!

 

[Zoophonic]

The Head of Ofsted has been on the radio this morning and was a little shocked at the lack of empathy. The comment that parents don’t want to read anything but one liners was frankly patronising.

 

[h_m_boro]

Wife was a childminder and they were put through the wringer during Ofsted visits. The worst they had was a young (early 20s) lady, no kids, no teaching experience, no EYFS knowledge with a terrible attitude who slated the childminder my wife was working with. Reduced them both to tears it was that bad. Next one my wife was involved with, nicest person you could meet

 

[Bristolboro]

The real problem with Ofsted is that it has too much power. Over the last few decades control over the educational system (national curriculum, inspection etc.) has become increasingly centralized and dictatorial which means that inspection processes for thousands of schools in very different contexts are standardized and the assessments very crude and therefore inhuman.

From my experience of numerous inspections the inspectors have no interest in context (of schools, classes, lessons etc.), they just apply the formula they have invented. Then you get into a situation where you have to apply a planned Ofsted tick box lesson when they come into the classroom otherwise they will not know how what you are doing fits into your learning strategy (your pupils could be doing some independent research). The inspectors judge lessons purely on what they see and have no interest in the context of the lesson. They will judge your lesson inadequate in 20 minutes and that is that.

They have also become increasingly obsessed with safeguarding. My last school was always judged inadequate not because of the quality of the education (this was excellent) but because the data to support safeguarding was was not rigorous enough. I never for one moment felt that the kids were at risk. Thankfully, the parents took little notice of the Ofsted grade but I imagine that is an exception.

All of this creates a culture of fear. Ofsted is tremendously damaging, existing as remote surveillance even when the inspectors are not there as schools are always paranoid about being Ofsted ready. They have seeped into the culture of education.

Really this is about the government not trusting teachers and disempowering. To create a healthier, more human system we need to devolve power to schools and local authorities so that context is taken into account and inspections become supportive and a positive learning experience for all. Schools and teachers should be facilitated to develop their own monitoring systems. This is what a school inspection system should be doing.

 

[Redwurzel]

The Ofsted inspectors are often part time. We were sent inspectors who had no or little knowledge of specialist education in our field. They did not want to discuss anything, because we knew more than them.

Ref the reports - they are produced for variety of stakeholders, the parents of the pupils are just one of those stakeholders. Others include managers of the school, teachers of the school, other staff of the school, pupils/students, Local education authority, Department for Education, other quality inspectors, governors.

I had some part time work a few years back checking the quality of the marking on Vocational courses with elements of internal assessment. I was reasonable qualified to do this, but I was learning as I did it, because I was dealing with situations I had not come across before. My reports were read by Ofsted inspectors. Once I got my extrnal verifier uniform/badge I had a lot of power and others in general respected and relied on for my support. I had to ensure the standrads of the programmes were met and possibly some verifiers concentrate too much on this and not enough on support too. I worked out I was paid about £5.30/hour - below the Living wage (£8 then), as I did the job properly. You were paid for each College or school you did as lump sum when the school was signed off. I complained the pay was too little, the Awarding Body ignored this and I gave it up. It did concern me that other verifers were possibly cutting corners and when you cut corners you get problems. The Awarding body btw is a large profit making business.(Pearson).

 

[Redwurzel]

The real problem with Ofsted is that it has too much power. Over the last few decades control over the educational system (national curriculum, inspection etc.) has become increasingly centralized and dictatorial which means that inspection processes for thousands of schools in very different contexts are standardized and the assessments very crude and therefore inhuman.

From my experience of numerous inspections the inspectors have no interest in context (of schools, classes, lessons etc.), they just apply the formula they have invented. Then you get into a situation where you have to apply a planned Ofsted tick box lesson when they come into the classroom otherwise they will not know how what you are doing fits into your learning strategy (your pupils could be doing some independent research). The inspectors judge lessons purely on what they see and have no interest in the context of the lesson. They will judge your lesson inadequate in 20 minutes and that is that.

They have also become increasingly obsessed with safeguarding. My last school was always judged inadequate not because of the quality of the education (this was excellent) but because the data to support safeguarding was was not rigorous enough. I never for one moment felt that the kids were at risk. Thankfully, the parents took little notice of the Ofsted grade but I imagine that is an exception.

All of this creates a culture of fear. Ofsted is tremendously damaging, existing as remote surveillance even when the inspectors are not there as schools are always paranoid about being Ofsted ready. They have seeped into the culture of education.

Really this is about the government not trusting teachers and disempowering. To create a healthier, more human system we need to devolve power to schools and local authorities so that context is taken into account and inspections become supportive and a positive learning experience for all. Schools and teachers should be facilitated to develop their own monitoring systems. This is what a school inspection system should be doing.

Excellent post.

Possibly the inspectors felt more comfortable criticising under safeguarding opposed to teaching and learning were they would be more challenged.

My only part disagreements was on self inspection - over the years I found Ofsted wanted to do quicker visits, checking quality systems more, so there were fewer class observations - what they called a light touch visit. For example a member of the College Observer team was checked on how they assessed rather the Ofsted inspector doing an observation on their own.

 

[Cambsred]

It astounds me how much effort is put in at schools to prepare for Offsted rather than to teach the children. Supervisions/ practice visits/ work in books, all done to show the inspectors whats happening rather than directed at childrens development. Even planned lessons to meet the inspectors needs rather than the diversity of the children.

I work in the NHS and front line clinicians have little to no regard/ worry for a CQC inspection. Teaching offsted worry is a daily/ weekly talking point. Crazy.

 

[Huddboro]

It astounds me how much effort is put in at schools to prepare for Offsted rather than to teach the children. Supervisions/ practice visits/ work in books, all done to show the inspectors whats happening rather than directed at childrens development. Even planned lessons to meet the inspectors needs rather than the diversity of the children.

I work in the NHS and front line clinicians have little to no regard/ worry for a CQC inspection. Teaching offsted worry is a daily/ weekly talking point. Crazy.

100% agree and it's the evidence base that you need to collect. Marking in a specific way, so when they do the deep dive there is evidence of learning. Unfortunately the head was never going to be on to a winner refusing an inspection, but may have shone some light on the inconsistency with Ofsted. I've been in schools before with experienced leaders who were able to guide the inspectors through the inspection and others who struggled, this was the first inspection that Head had in her career and was clearly something she struggled with, however it definitely isn't worth anyones life.