Ofsted: We inspect the inspectorate

Find out what the TES has said about Ofsted over the past few weeks, what TES readers think and the inspection experiences of the TES forum users
12th April 2010, 1:00am
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Ofsted: We inspect the inspectorate

https://www.tes.com/magazine/archive/ofsted-we-inspect-inspectorate

Ofsted in the TES

`An awful and cruel way to finish a career’
Excellent leader challenges Ofsted’s tough judgement on technicalities of `single central register’

MPs in cross-party attack on Ofsted’s `arbitary’ judgements
More than 80 MPs have told Parliament they are `seriously concerned’ about reports of Ofsted making `arbitary’ judgements

`Old banger’ Ofsted only fit for the scrapheap, conference told
Ofsted is an expensive `old banger’ being p aid for at `Rolls-Royce rates’ and should be aboloished in its current form, the annual conference of the ATL has heard.

Heads’ union: appealing against Ofsted is `not worth the time’
Changes to the process mean schools will struggle to challenge rulings, experts say

Ofsted’s fresh approach leaves heads `furious’ and union `aghast’
Schools are realing after six months of the new inspection regime that has seen `inadequate’ ratings double and `outstanding’ grades plummet

`Inadequate’ schools double under new Ofsted regime
TES analysis vindicates heads’ worst fears

We strive to do better, too
Ofsted’s chief inspector, Christine Gilbert, responds to suggestions on how to improve the inspectorate

Time for a shock to the sytem

Mike Kent urges heads to fight back against this `data-driven’ inspection agenda’

How do you mend Ofsted

What should be done to improve Ofsted? The TES asked key education figures for their recommendations.

School inspections have no secret agenda

Christine Gilbert argues that Ofsted plays fair but schools must learn to live by more than value added alone

Time for Ofsted to get real

TES columnist and primary headteacher, Mike Kent, tells Christine Gilbert that she’s `trying to defend the indefensible’

Ofsted told to move focus from results to teaching

MPs call for the Government to focus on improving quality of inspectors

Inspection myths busted
Former inspector Selwyn Ward dispels some popular misconceptions about the Ofsted process

Too tough at the top
Is the next generation of potential school leaders running scared of an inspection-obsessed culture


Ofsted - the inside story

Here’s a selection of comments we’ve had from readers on what it’s really like to be Ofsted inspected.

“Given that I have experienced four inspections as a headteacher - three under the old framework and one with the new - I feel it offers a genuine opportunity for discussion.” Gerard Batty, headteacher, Norfolk.

“Our termly visit from HMI was always a great help in taking stock of the progress we’d made.” Kim Beat, headteacher, Brent.

“I hate the damage these anally retentive inspection systems are doing to our youngsters.” Andy Dukes, secondary teacher, Weymouth

“Rather than chide teachers for naively believing urban myths, Christine Gilbert might more constructively publish the hard facts that could bring reassurance” - Adrian Porter, headmaster, Wimbledon

“It is a great disservice to the efforts and achievements of all those who work and study in schools in challenging contexts not to recognise the different starting points that pupils have” - Paddy Heneghan, headteacher, Manchester

“Ofsted needs to take more responsibility for the effects its process has on individuals, and the way inspections are conducted needs to be far more constructive” - Caroline Barnes, former pupil referral unit headteacher, Cambridgeshire

What you’re saying about Ofsted on the TES forums

The truth about being inspected under the new framework

Tips for moving a lesson from good to outstanding

Are teachers now better than Ofsted inspectors?

Read all the comments in our Inspection forum

If you would like to get involved in the debate all you have to do to post messages on our forums is register with TES Connect (registration is free).

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Ofsted: We inspect the inspectorate

https://www.tes.com/magazine/archive/ofsted-we-inspect-inspectorate

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