Speaking to OFSTED - how honest?

[theduchessstill]

All I want to know is if I am in a one-to-one meeting with an OI are any comments made confidential? I am in a role that means I'm likely to find myself in that position and I have some serious concerns about SLT - not petty and/or personal grievances but serious concerns. If I meet an OI is it even worth voicing my views?

Have you expressed your concerns to SLT yet? You need to look at your whistleblowing policy.

I have expressed my concerns but they're dismissed. How can you ask to see a whistleblowing policy without drawing attention to yourself?

You can whistleblow concerns about leadership and/or governance to various places. You can write to Ofsted outside of an inspection anonymously. They take confidentiality seriously. If an LA school you can write to the education team at the LEA. If an academy you can complain to the local RSC or the ESFA.

The whistleblowing policy should be filed with the rest of your policies on your staff drive.

In our school whistleblowing is the LA policy and is available both on the school website and the LA website. There is also an LA hotline number you can call if you need to. Typically your policy would direct you to the chair of governors - unless you also have misgivings about them. It is not fair on the school to wait until an OI is in.

It's not fair on the school?? There is no policy I can see without asking. CofG is a big part of the problem. It seems we have nowhere to go. In my department we are just waiting to be thrown under a bus...

Isn't the policy on the staff drive or school website? Or in a staff handbook, or pinned up in the staff room?

I was in a meeting with OIs and comments were made by a colleague that were less than complimentary about SLT. I was later asked by the head who had said it.

I have searched high and low for our policies regarding complaints to no avail.

I would certainly not make comments unless I was alone with an OI. I just wondered if such comments would be confidential.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-complaints-procedures/best-practice-advice-for-school-complaints-procedures-2019#who-can-make-a-complaint

Maybe ask the chair of governors if it’s complaining about SLT.

I would ask them before saying anything, but be warned that it will probably be linked to you, by the SLT. I would be tempted to write an anonymous email to OFSTED prior to the inspection.

I would consider what you hope to gain from it. Raising flags with ofsted could put the whole school through significant stress and constant scrutiny. Perhaps don’t lie/remain vague if you would have a negative answer while the inspection is happening and then look further into whistleblowing after.

Sorry what do you mean 'you are waiting to be thrown under a bus'....Ofsted are not about pointing fingers at teachers. If there is an issue it won't be one or two teachers who are 'targetted'. If something is wrong the teachers will be asked what they have done about it, the SLT will be asked what they know about it and what they've done about. It's as bad for the SLT to not know there's an issue as it is for their to be a problem in the first place.

My comment about it not being fair on the school is that if there is a problem impacting the kids it is your responsibility to speak up. It is not fair on the children for you to do nothing. Is that there is a change brought in that you struggle to understand because no one has explained the big picture? Is it that the personnel are not behaving professionally? Is it that you are being asked to do things you don't think right.

As a governor I can say that when there is an issue it can be hard to deal with unless staff speak out. You can speak to your governors (but it has to be official), or your union, or your LA. Or even call this number (screen shot).

A quick Google of 'xxxxxshire whistleblowing policy' for a few shires returns the LA one as the top result....so I can't see how you can't find them. If you are an academy then you go to the trust. If you are VC go to the Diocese.

It's not fair to anyone in the school that you wait for an Ofsted Inspector to come before you say something.

Chair of governors is a huge part of the problem and we're a stand alone academy so no other avenues.

Outcome of any inspection will be negative for the school anyway so maybe in that respect there's no point in my speaking out.

I know individual teachers aren't targeted by Ofsted and slt need to show they know what's going on. So the under a bus comment was silly but it's frustrating to know a narrative is being created that calls into question mine and others' professionalism and competence when we are doing our utmost best for the children without any support.

Go to your union for advice. And also find out how to whitleblow to the trustees. If you have been to the SLT already and nothing happened did you put it in writing? If not - do that - maybe copy in all governors. List your concerns and the impacts. Then when Ofsted come in you will be perfectly right to say 'there is an issue with X, we spoke about it and there was no change I also followed this up with a letter' that will raise more red flags for them than something that might just be thought of as a moan.

As a governor in a challenging school official complaints really help to move things along and you are protected. So make sure your union know what's happening.

If it's going to be negative anyway then there is more reason to speak out surely? It will mean the right people may be blamed in the report.

Comments made to Ofsted inspectors will be brought up with the head for a response and the head will then try to work out who said it.

There’s the anonymous staff questionnaire that you will fill out when Ofsted come if it’s not that urgent.

Managers will spend ages trying to work out who completed an anonymous staff questionnaire, if the person has said something they don't like.

Report to OFSTED anonymously.

Are you at my school op? Chair of governors is as much a part of the problem as head so we have no recourse. Have you spoken to your union? After ongoing wranglings over the past year we are going on strike.

Please be careful of whistleblowing. There is some advice on this thread that may be well-meaning, but is not accurate. Assume that anything you say could be discovered as coming from you. Going against a head and SLT is never a good idea.

Would advise you speak to your union about the situation - to cover yourself.

One of the myths regarding whistleblowing - you are protected. You are not really (only on paper) and the TRA do not recognise whistleblowing and your Head/SLT can use the TRA against you as per professional conduct - critical of colleagues.

There is little protection for a whistleblower - legal aid is non existent and whatever type of educational establishment - those who are supposed to be monitoring it will most likely side with the head/SLT. You can be smeared very easily by a head looking to get even or protect themselves.

You will be lucky if you have supportive colleagues, as they tend to want to keep their jobs.

If you whistleblow, to anybody - be prepared for the outcome of losing your job or having to leave.

And sending an email to Ofsted anonymously also doesn't work as they don't accept individual complaints.

There should be a link in your safeguarding policies and procedures.
If you write a letter to the Chair laying out the illegalities, you have a record you reported something should it go further.
This copy is your evidence. At present they could deny you raised any issues unless you have emails of the details being raised?

If the Chair does not reply then you send a copy to Ofsted.
The whistle blowing policy does not mean it will remain confidential. You may be the only person to witness something. Your info might be incorrect or even made up to cause trouble. It depends on the circumstances.