I was very disappointed to see The TES repeat lazy myths about Ofsted inspection of safeguarding in schools (“ID? But we are Ofsted, of course we are safe”, 11 June).
As we have repeatedly clarified, not least in the pages of The TES, minor breaches of safeguarding requirements will not lead to a school being “marked down”. Claims about “holes in fences” or “offering inspectors coffee before checking ID” may make for a good story, but they do a disservice not so much to Ofsted but to schools that are being misled about what to expect.
Inspections can be challenging enough for schools without this sort of inaccurate scaremongering adding unnecessarily to their concerns.
Patrick Leeson, Director, education and care, Ofsted.