The average Ofsted rating is getting higher. So, why does it need reforming?
During the time of rising Ofsted ratings the international test results have flatlined. It looks as though people are just getting better at responding to inspection!
Ofsted give valuable information to parents. Will this be lost?
Parents will be given good information about schools. The intention is that it will be of higher quality than that provided by Ofsted and more reliable.
Ofsted is undergoing change right now. Shouldn't we wait until the changes have played out?
The leopard does not change its spots. We need a radical alternative and we need to run it alongside Ofsted for several years so that we can compare different inspection approaches. Ours is an evidenced based way to implementing policy.
How will schools be held to account?
The new inspections will have consequences for settings that are not up to the mark. Those consequences will result in improvements for the children and young people but not to the detriment of the psychological well being of staff.
What information will be given to parents
An online report for each school will record if a school is exceptional or simply good overall. For the small proportion where there are problems, an online rating will not be given but support will be offered to address and solve those problems.
Hasn't it been shown the putting schools into "Special Measures" is good for them?
There was a report which apparently showed that schools got better as a results of "Special Measures". But that report was based on a statistical blunder and it showed no such thing. Instead, the public humiliation led to lower recruitment of students and so less resource coming into settings so labelled. It became more difficult to attract and hold onto able teachers and senior staff.
What will be the key differences between Ofsted's approach and your alternative?
Ofsted's approach has failed over 30 years to increase achievements. Ours will result in small, incremental improvements which will slowly become continuous. Ofsted is more about accountability than improvement; ours is the reverse. Ofsted creates a culture of fear. Our model promotes a culture of mutual trust.
What impact will Ofsted's "reformed" system of inspection on professionals?
We anticipate that it will increase their levels of stress, their already heavy work loads and their resistance to unreliable two-day inspections. Our system is designed to engage staff in dialogue with the their colleagues about how to enhance their practice.
Aren't the toolkits that Ofsted has produced a good idea?
There are 5 such toolkits and the one for schools runs for 30 pages, packed with excessive and labyrinthine expectations, 330 in total. For example, a professional would have to meet 100 standards to be accorded the middle grade of "secure." This gives too much scope for inspectors to find causes for concern.