Why Ofsted tests schools to breaking point

Since headteacher Ruth Perry took her own life in January following an Ofsted inspection, there have been calls for reform of Ofsted.
Now Ofsted - and Labour - have come back with reforms to inspections, but both have ignored the threat of academisation to any school that has an inadequate report.
Louise Regan (NEU) and former head teacher Carel Buxton discuss the damage done by Ofsted and the drive to academisation.

[@neilsmith5762]

All teachers must go on strike during inspection and do so repeatedly until the system is abolished.

[@jamesboswell9324]

Why didn't the unions take action to resist the rise of this kind of punitive micromanagement from the outset? Unions have to take a big share of the blame for letting this system arise.

[@OrwellsHousecat]

Lots of teachers go on permanent strike by leaving the profession. There's a very high turnover

[@neilsmith5762]

@@jamesboswell9324 at the time Blair had a massive number of seats in parliament and the public had and still have an anti teacher stance. Teachers do not want to strike as it affects students, professional pride. Only now with dwindling pay levels are they now fighting for the profession.

[@jamesboswell9324]

@@neilsmith5762 I am a teacher so I understand all the constraints, but I still feel we let ourselves down.

[@martinsmith9947]

I went through 4 Ofsteds altogether, the last 3 as a senior member of staff. Ms Spielman speaks oh so softly and oh so reasonably, but she runs a regime that absolutely reduces teachers and support staff to quivering wrecks. This dysfunctional, bullying organisation should have been disbanded ages ago. And Labour will make NO DIFFERENCE WHATSOEVER! You just know it. They absolutley adore top down autocracy, all of the shadow cabinet.

[@OrwellsHousecat]

Why are you so afraid (quivering wrecks) of proving that you are doing your job properly? Are you afraid of being found out?

[@martinsmith9947]

@ForbiddenPlanetB When people like him say stuff like that, it always reminds me of the old adage, "Better let people just think you are a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt"😂

[@trevcollier8587]

Strange is the coincidence of OFSTED inspectors being on the Boards of the "Privatised Academy Trusts". Has anyone ever asked the chairman of a trust how much he/she is paid and who actually pays him/her? Could it possibly be the tax payer once again, financing Privatised Companies?

[@BobCratchit-773]

It seems that Ofsted Inspections generate one word for teachers and pupils....FEAR! The NEUs reaction to the tragic suicide of head teacher Ruth Perry was to call a conference. Mary Bousted, the NEU’s joint general secretary, said her union would be campaigning for Ofsted to be replaced with a system that was “supportive, effective and fair”. She said the union was conducting focus groups with a research team working to develop a better alternative. Meanwhile the Ofsted Chief Inspector has "rejected" all criticism of its bullying regime. It's time for the unions call an all out strike until Ofsted is abolished! Otherwise this wretched system of brutal micromanagement will continue. Ofsted must be abolished.

[@BebsDotter]

So is acadamisation seen a punishment by teachers/schools??

[@OrwellsHousecat]

Yes, because they'd be expected to perform, not cut corners, not mistreat kids, not be inappropriate, fulfill their responsibilities, be accountable for their actions, get paid lore etc

[@thecrispinflintoffshow]

New academies don’t get tested. I wonder why?

[@patperks3122]

Because they are tools for Tory cronies to make profits in many cases. The level of management in many cases is removed from the local circumstances, loving a one size fits all to keep it cheap.

[@ThatGuyThanus]

Academisation is part of a corrupt system. Public money funnelled into private hands, topslicing, and all that goes with it. Yes, it’s punishment, and it’s wrong..

[@OrwellsHousecat]

Every other job gets assessed but teachers don't want to be assessed. What are they trying to hide?

[@annenunney9907]

Nothing

[@OrwellsHousecat]

@@annenunney9907 yeah, that's why they avoid assessment, just for zero reason

[@OrwellsHousecat]

@@Breakthechochamber those teachers aren't asking for a better metjod of assessment, they're asking to abolish assessment/ofsted. It's not punitive if you fail to meet the mark. Best practice is already a part of the praxis.

[@OrwellsHousecat]

@@Breakthechochamber btw cheers for the reference to nobservation - I'll check it out

[@OrwellsHousecat]

@@Breakthechochamber nope, the pushback is not about the criteria, it's about the process, the scrutiny, the assessment. Teachers are saying that they don't want assessments, they don't want consequences of not meeting standards, they don't want consequences for failing the pupils, they don't want consequences for mistreatment of children in schools. What's the alternative criteria that's being suggested?

[@ThatGuyThanus]

Ofsted clearly not fit for purpose..

[@linking-it]

Disgraceful conduct by ofsted

[@ftsetradersteve2742]

Well.....All I can tell you is that I know of an extended family member who was a headmaster who when he was just starting out on the school management team rugby tackled me without warning and punched me in the head 12 times while I was waiting to collect my daughter from my estranged wife....He was arrested and given a police caution....I received £1500 from the criminal injuries board because he refused to pay for my damaged clothing....He used to boast that he had children up against the wall by the neck in his school and how he demeaned parents that visited the school about their under performing children. However, he became a head of a school and was very successful in his career and is now an Ofsted inspector....

[@mike-xt7qi]

Firstly anyone who thinks a school and the staff / students within can be successfully summarised by one word from OFSTED needs to give themselves a shake. Secondly the whole education sector is a mess. Totally ghastly curriculums designed to prevent student’s questioning the world around them with ghastly teacher training aka “mentor roulette”. Add in the total non appreciation of teaching assistants, the woke culture, the bullying and sexism, the total breakdown of safeguarding and provision for any student on a care plan, the ridiculous workload and unpaid work teachers do and you have a system be design totally unfit for purpose. The saddest thing about this industry is it’s one of the very few unionised sectors left yet a majority of teachers are happy to put up with all this crap for their pay and pensions because they know that virtually all of them would never get a job paying similar in any other sector. So much for doing it for the kids. A disgraceful spineless bunch.

[@OrwellsHousecat]

Crying when asked questions? That's highly manipulative. *womanipulative

[@keithparker1346]

Yeah I mean how dare someone show emotions

[@JeanHoward-k2z]

What's the difference between a facelift & an Ofsted inspection? A face lift tucks the features!

[@karinakaminski1945]

👍👍👍

[@joekilker6373]

Naïve of me perhaps, but when I first heard of Ruth Perry, it seemed to me that her family were a bit OTT, blaming Ofsted. I mean, is any inspection that gruelling? I hadn't even considered the possibility of the inspectors having extra motivation to downgrade a school, which might lead to questionable tactics. And now we have two people on this discussion, one of whom seems familiar to me, defending the right to apply this level of scrutiny. I'm keeping my powder dry for the moment, but there sure seems to be something iffy about all this.

[@jamescooke6032]

What's your proposed alternative to ofsted?

[@thecrispinflintoffshow]

An organisation that doesn't have an academisation agenda.

[@jamescooke6032]

@@thecrispinflintoffshow but stil inspectors

[@imaginationscene]

muslim teachers / headteachers knew this years and years ago, now everyone is getting the same experience.

[@OrwellsHousecat]

"one piece of paper" She makes it sound insignificant, but that requirement must be very important for it to be so consequential. If its 'a piece of paper' why not do the administration properly. Teaching, and the administration of teaching, is very serious work - you can't just fob it off the way you bully your husband at home when he asks why you've not fulfilled your responsibility.

[@OrwellsHousecat]

If your school is graded as inadequate because it's inadequate, why are you blaming the grading rather than trying to improve the school?

[@thecrispinflintoffshow]

Did you watch the video? Can you see there is an agenda behind making schools ‘inadequate’? Did you also note that new academies are not tested at all?

[@OrwellsHousecat]

@@thecrispinflintoffshow did you notice that the avoidance of scrutiny & assessment is what all these teachers are asking for? Who cares if there's an agenda if the schools are being improved? Why do you want failing schools&teachers to not be held to account. If a school does badly it's put on a path for improvement. Why do you want children to be failed and the failures to be covered up?