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Ofsted Inspectors turn out to be failed heads and governors - not teachers

7 replies

TalkinPeace2 · 26/06/2012 12:26

www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-18512428
even more reason to take their reports with a large pinch of salt.

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nkf · 26/06/2012 12:33

I want to know more about this. If it's true, then it's shocking.

GrapesAnatomy · 26/06/2012 12:40

It is a shocking report but probably not to teachers! Oh and btw headteachers (failed or otherwise) are still teachers and will have had years of classroom experience.

TalkinPeace2 · 26/06/2012 12:41

grapes
indeed, but getting a failed primary head to inspect a secondary ....

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silverfrog · 26/06/2012 12:46

dd1's school (a highly specialised SN school, with a specific curriculum and approach) was Ofsted'ed recently.

the inspector had no idea about the approach used - had never heard of it - and very little clue about autism either.

so, dd1's teachers and tutors were being assessed on what they do and how they deliver it by someone who had no idea how to go about teaching severely autistic children, and no idea about why they might be doing what they are doing.

and as for the patronising 'letter to pupils' or whatever it is called - erm, most of the children there cannot read (or understand such complex language if it is read to them). surely this practise should have been altered given the circumstances?

DeWe · 26/06/2012 12:53

They might be good at spotting what is wrong Grin

At the end of "The Silver Chair" (part of the Narnia series) Lewis wrote something along the lines of:
"And the Headmistress' friends saw that she was no good as a head, so arranged for her to be an inspector of heads. After a while they saw she was no good at that so they sent her into parliament where she remained happily."

Or the Oscar Wilde quote: "Those who can do, those who can't teach. Those who can't teach, teach teachers". And maybe he should add, "Those who can't teach teachers, inspect teachers"? Grin

givemushypeasachance · 26/06/2012 16:18

TalkinPeace2 - to be fair the article doesn't make a specific claim about a failed primary school head inspecting a secondary school, it says someone was concerned when they saw "an Ofsted report for a large secondary school which he believed had been written by an inspector with only primary school experience", and then there is a separate point that says "The BBC is aware of two former headteachers who were forced out because their schools were failing currently working as Ofsted inspectors."

The headlines are making it sound a bit like all inspectors are dragged in off the streets, when the articles explain in more depth about the former practice of using "lay inspectors" to give a wider assessment of schools in areas like safeguarding, care guidance and support, and so on. Lay inspectors aren't actively employed by the Inspection Service Providers anymore but they still have some on the books from back when this was how inspections were done - and who would have numerous years of experience in conducting inspections and who have been through the ongoing inspector training, however detailed that is - I'm not claiming it would get them to a point where they would necessarily be competent to judge a full range of teaching, but in fairness it is a bit more than dragging in any old school secretary or governor and giving them a clipboard and an evidence form as some commenters on the newspaper articles seem to think.

I think this would be a good chance to take a look at the continuing drive to outsource every possible scrap of government and local authority activity. The fact is that very few inspectors are employed directly by Ofsted anymore, only the HMIs. All these additional inspectors are working for commercial organisations who have £££ and shareholders/balance sheets are the forefront of their organisational minds - is that the best way to run a system of inspection?

TalkinPeace2 · 26/06/2012 16:20

The Beeb are slightly holding fire till after the programme is broadcast tonight - lets see what the detailed info out tomorrow is .....

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