Multi-academy trusts (MATs) that conduct their own internal inspections of member schools are wasting time and resources, Ofsted has warned.
Sean Harford, Ofsted’s national education director, said: “As the chief inspector, Amanda Spielman, has made clear, mocksteds are unnecessary and a waste of teachers’ time and resources, whether carried out by consultants, MATs or any other schools.”
Most multi-academy trusts now run internal inspections of their schools, according to Russell Hobby, general secretary of the NAHT headteachers’ union. “MATs have a duty to understand what’s going on in their schools,” he said.
“Schools wouldn’t want them to go on raw data alone. But how welcome inspections are probably depends on how they’re operated.”
Some MATs conduct formal inspections which follow the Ofsted framework; others limit the inspection to little more than an informal chat between the headteacher and MAT executives.
‘Bad practice’
Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, believes that any form of additional inspection is unnecessary. “Internal inspections stress teachers out,” she said.
“Ofsted’s bad enough. But if you recreate Ofsted within your own MAT, it just becomes incredibly stressed and pressured.
“And it takes the focus away from teaching and learning. It’s bad practice, it’s increasing workload, and it shouldn’t be happening.”
Mr Harford agrees. He said: “We want to see a school as it is, on any given day. If a school is helping pupils to make good progress and learn, and ensuring that the quality of education inspires all pupils to achieve their best, then it will do well in any inspection.”
This is an edited version of an article appearing in the 5 May edition of Tes. Subscribers can read the full article here. This week’s Tes magazine is available in all good newsagents. To download the digital edition, Android users can click here and iOS users can click here
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