Does anyone work for Ofsted?

[Ab87]

Hi all. I just wanted to ask if anyone on here works as an OFSTED Inspector? (Education/ social care).
What is the role like? Do you enjoy it? What don't you like about it? Are you busy through the week or do you have time and space for breathing and short breaks. Etc. Flexibility around family life/ children?
Thanks in advance!

It's my understanding that HMIs are leaving in droves. They work VERY long hours and the atmosphere is toxic. Pretty much every setting you go into is dreading you coming and just wants you to go again.

Thank you for your reply. :)

I haven’t done it personally, but I know plenty who have and they have all left. It might look appealing on paper but it really isn’t. As another poster has said, long hours, the travelling and the environment.
There are other jobs in education if you don’t want to be school based.

My good friend does. He wfh at the beginning and end of the week but in the middle is often away on inspection. He says his work life balance is better than when he was a teacher and he can do the school run etc in the wfh days but then the inspection days are long and everybody hates him.

If you're thinking about it you could become an Ofsted Inspector- freelance basically.

Thank you everyone who have kindly taken the time to reply. It's good to get your views. I was looking for regulatory and improvement roles and I thought of OFSTED. I'm interested in such work but not sure where to start.

@glenfiorenti

Bless your friend, no job is easy but must be done!

@pigsducksandchickens
Thank you. I was looking at contractor roles!

@good96 thank you. 🙌

My mum until recently has been an ofsted inspector. She started doing it about 10 years ago I think. She was a primary head at the time so it was done as part of that role - she would be released to go and do inspections because it benefitted the school to have her do it. She retired 3 years ago and wanted to keep it up for some extra income. She stopped earlier this year as she had had enough. The pay wasn't enough considering her expenses. I'm sure she said it was £600 for 2 days work but she would have to fund travel and hotel out of that. I can't remember what she told me exactly but the upshot was she was earning about £16ph plus then there was all the training she had to do in her own time. She said it wasn't financially viable. And she was treated like shit, dropped at the last minute after her travel and hotel weren't refundable. I think that was the final straw when they cancelled with less than 24 hrs notice.

Do you have an education background?
If not what is your employment background?

ISO auditing would be another regulatory role in loads of sectors, or Health & Safety like Nebosh/ OSHA.

@FatAgainItsLettuceTime
I have a social care background in children's services.

Thank you for your reply and I will look into your suggestions.

@ThisMustBeMyDream Really sorry to hear about your mum's experience. I hope she found something even better xx

We went on holiday and a woman was bragging she worked for ofsted, loved the fact that she frightened teachers and heads, awful woman.

I have a social care background in children's services

Do you need to have been a teacher/on LT to be an Ofsted inspector?

Take this with a pinch of salt as it was 19 years ago - Most toxic place I have ever worked. Vile people from top to bottom, and I say this as someone who generally gets on well with everyone.

10 years ago - I’m having a shocker typing today.

If you were looking at roles inspecting Chidren's services/care homes etc i think these do tend to be less hated amd tge focus is now on the inspector building a relationship with their LA as a critical friend. However much more travel as they cover wider areas.

I would NEVER become an Ofsted inspector. Awful job - people who work for Ofsted often have no experience of the settings they are inspecting.