School Ofsted Inspection reform is absolute bollocks

[noblegiraffe]

So after the long campaign to get rid of the Outstanding grade post the suicide of Ruth Perry, they have merely renamed it 'Exceptional'.

Good is now Strong Standard
They've reinstated the old Satisfactory as Expected Standard.
Requires Improvement and Inadequate are now Needs Attention and Urgent Improvement

As currently, schools will not get a headline grade but will be assessed in 6 areas against these grades. Safeguarding will be separate and 'met' or 'not met'.

The areas are curriculum and teaching, attendance and behaviour, inclusion, achievement, personal development and wellbeing, and leadership and governance.

"Schools deemed to require significant improvement - judged as “urgent improvement” in any evaluation area or “not met” in safeguarding - will receive up to five extra inspections within 18 months.
Schools that are judged to require special measures - graded as “urgent improvement” in leadership and governance or “not met” in safeguarding, and given the lowest grade in at least one other evaluation area - will receive up to six inspections within 24 months."

Workload, workload, workload. This is going to be awful.

Inspections start in November.

https://www.tes.com/magazine/news/general/ofsted-first-report-card-inspections-voluntary

I am really not in favour of shaming schools on social media.

https://www.tes.com/magazine/news/general/grave-concerns-school-leaders-punitive-ofsted-plans

The ASCL Headteachers and college leaders union is going to poll its members on whether they should withdraw their services as inspectors over these changes.

I bloody hope they do. Teachers shouldn't be doing this to other teachers.

I saw that in the TES. I think that's great. I totally agree that teachers shouldn't be enabling this system.

I think part of the problem is that naive young parents believe ofsted. By the time they have enough experience to realise that ofsted is a load of guff, their kids are nearly out of the system and they have no incentive to care any more.

I think the school staff need those experienced parents to help them fight back against the punitive employment systems.

They possibly need us on the picket lines.

Are the teachers allowed to communicate with parents about how rubbish ofsted is? Maybe they are not allowed to do that. I wish they could. We could help them then.

I thought they were supposed to be simplifying the process. Sounds wildly complicated! Thank god for retirement- no way would I want to work in any school with this shit show- even more teachers leaving in droves…

That's nothing to do with Ofsted, but a power hungry head.

Then nothing will ever change and awful schools will continue to attract pupils and get outstanding ratings

Absolutely awful. I wasn't expecting much but this is a real kick in the teeth. I was considering going back to teaching now my children are older. Love what I'm doing at the moment but I do think teaching is potentially the most valuable use of my time! But only if the system sorts itself out and dares to trust the schools and teachers who work their asses off for children and families day in day out. Think of all the experienced staff they could win back by valuing them.

It's interesting because I'm working for a trust that has taken on three "failing" schools in the last 3 years and all now have "Good" or better.

All the staff (who survived the change) can see that the schools are better run and better places for staff and students now. They seem to have enjoyed the process.

The fundamental problem you've got is that when asked in polls, education barely makes #10 of voters concerns. So the majority pay very little attention to it.
Its absolutely #1 for me with healthcare #2 but I also work in education sector so I'm more aware of policy etc.

Governments won't improve education properly until it polls at least #5 amongst the voting public.

It scares me how many parents who have children in education in UK just don't bother to find anything out other than Ofsted rating of a school.

Maybe "good" is the safe place to be? Maybe it's only when people go for outstanding that it gets crazy?

I think that in a lot of cases the parents are captive audience anyway. They kind of just have to send the kids to the nearest school. Two of my best friends have watched what happen to my DC in great detail and have had to send their slightly younger children into the same school anyway. They have no choice.

I think it doesn't help that the system also sets up conflict between the parents and teachers in primary school with all the attendance letters. The teachers need the parents to help them fight back against ofsted but at the same time the teachers are having to send us really horrible letters and report us to education welfare officers and all that kind of stuff just because our kids have had the 'flu.

It just sets up more conflict where we need people to work in partnership.

As a parent "good" doesn't always = good.
Our local state secondary is rated Good and last inspected 2024. It produces only 20% of Yr 11s with 5 x Grade 5 at GCSE.
There is no planet upon which that is "good" yet it has been judged to be so for last 3 inspections
Progress 8 is also dire.

Bit of survivors' bias there though!

I don't have any problem with schools being inspected in order to uncover important weaknesses if there is then a process to support them in improving.

I really, really object to this idea that Ofsted are also in the job of connoisseurs swanning around awarding Michelin stars to whichever schools tick the Ofsted fad boxes this year while their staff are worked into the ground.

Expected standard will be seen as 'not good enough' despite being expected. How is that reasonable?

It isn't reasonable but you need to lobby via your unions. Shout about it as a collective.
Can I just ask though, what were you actually expecting? Not wanting, expecting? Ultimately though you can only vote with your feet.

I agree with this. Schools are part of the problem, fighting for the best grades by hook or by crook. Ofsted isn’t going anywhere. Just look at the new ‘expected standard’ criteria and aim for that, it means everything is broadly fine. I’ve no idea why the unions haven’t directed school leaders to do this. Take down the Ofsted banners outside the school. Stop being part of the problem. There will always be accountability, the unions are wasting their time. They should focus on what they can change - their members desperately fighting for the top grade.

I was expecting for teachers to be screwed, because we always are. I was expecting the consultation to achieve nothing, because they never do.

There was a slight glimmer of hope in the aftermath of Ruth Perry's suicide, when Labour got rid of the overarching grade that they actually understood the problem.

But if Julia Waters' campaign which attracted lots of publicity and union support has come to very little, then what else can be done? I would love for headteachers to stop inspecting, but if they're still inspecting now after all that has happened, then it's not like we can appeal to their morals.

No I agree.
I voted with my feet and left the sector after 20+ years of Ofsted etc. The sense of relief to be able to work without constantly second guessing myself/others, workload and scrutiny due to the pressure of Ofsted was honestly life changing. I still work under regulation of Ofqual but it's nothing like the omnishambles of Ofsted.

You think the unions can direct school leaders to do anything?

And of course schools are going to want better grades. Bums on seats are absolutely vital for school finances.

I know of a school that lost their outstanding grade and are now losing pupils - enough to have a big financial impact. Fewer classes means fewer teachers and means redundancies. These things have real world implications.

I completely agree with you.

A local primary had this too. They were doing good work with a lot of difficult kids. Ofsted marked them down from outstanding to requires improvement and no parents will go near them now. They are only half full, and with very low staffing because they can't get enough kids to have the money to pay for more. It's bonkers really.

It's such a missed opportunity, something really supportive and beneficial for children and teachers could have been created. This helps no one.

As a Headteacher fully expecting to be inspected this year, this "new" framework makes me furious. It's just even more ways to kick us in the bollocks. Nothing has changed, just the ever-rising expectations of teachers to do more and more.
I made the mistake of reading a news article early this morning, containing notes written by poor Ruth Perry before she died, and I shed a few silent tears. Its just wrong.

I'm so sorry that you are all having to deal with this. You're right, it helps no one.