In response to the all-too-familiar and expected criticism of Chris Woodhead’s annual report, I would suggest a different approach.
It is about time the whole teaching profession stopped whinging and whining about the chief inspector’s annual report. If we are honest, of course there are at least 13,000 failing teachers and at least one-in-seven headteachers not giving the appropriate leadership, so why the knee-jerk reaction?
What irritates me more is that the procedure for dismissing failing teachers is too cumbersome and time-consuming (accepting individual teachers’ union rights). Any disciplinary action by a governing body against one teacher will automatically polarise staff and disrupt the efficient running of schools.
Why is it that schools are not sent the chief inspector’s report as a matter of course within 48 hours of its presentation to Parliament? We could all look forward to a balanced debate in the media rather than a one-sided tirade of emotional claptrap.
SIMON WEBB Headteacher Brookfield Junior School Swallow Road Larkfield, Kent