The compiled to rival a formal Ofsted consultation on future reforms has revealed widespread dissatisfaction with the watchdog, with nine in 10 respondents deeming it 鈥渘ot fit for purpose鈥. Frank Norris and Colin Richards 鈥 former inspectors who launched the consultation in May because they did not believe the official poll asked the key questions needed – said Ofsted is 鈥渇acing an existential crisis鈥. Sir Martyn Oliver launched the official Big Listen as part of a raft of measures in response to an inquest last year, which ruled an Ofsted inspection had contributed to the suicide of headteacher Ruth Perry. Ofsted was widely criticised after its own consultation did not include a specific question on whether single-phrase judgments should be scrapped. Respondents were able to talk about judgments in free text response fields, but critics said the watchdog had dodged asking about what many see as the fundamental flaw to inspection. Ofsted ‘does not consider context’ The alternative big listen, though a self-selecting survey whose 1,368 responses have not been weighted to be representative of the sector, shows Ofsted has a mountain to climb to regain trust. Ninety-one per cent of respondents said the watchdog should not use one or two-word judgments to characterise the overall effectiveness of schools. Eighty-nine per cent said Ofsted did not sufficiently consider the context of schools鈥 local areas when reaching judgments. Ninety per cent said inspections were not consistent from place to place, and 85 per cent disagreed that the number of schools rated 鈥榞ood鈥 or better gave a strong indication of the overall quality of the school system. There should be a moratorium on routine inspections until a 鈥渇undamental review鈥 has taken place, according to 83 per cent of respondents. Ofsted faces ‘existential crisis’ The consultation鈥檚 organisers said it was 鈥渃lear that Ofsted is facing an existential crisis 鈥 whether to engage in piecemeal change, to be fundamentally reformed or to be replaced altogether鈥. 鈥淥ur findings imply that the first of these is no longer a viable option.鈥 Frank Norris They urged the new education secretary Bridget Phillipson, who has committed to scrapping single-phrase judgments, and Oliver to 鈥渢ake note of our findings and to take urgent principled action to reform the current school inspection regime鈥. Sixty-seven per cent of respondents said Ofsted doesn鈥檛 hold schools 鈥減roperly to account鈥 for the quality of education they provide. Thirty-nine per cent said Ofsted did not hold schools properly to account for keeping children safe. Norris said the survey 鈥渙ffers a damning critique of Ofsted and clearly demonstrates the amount of work the inspectorate needs to do in order to re-establish confidence in the process鈥. 鈥淢any believe Ofsted has lost its way and is no longer a reliable source of information on the effectiveness of the schools it inspects. 鈥淚t is encouraging that the new government is committed to reform of the inspectorate. These findings indicate they are right to do so.鈥
Steven Lilley 13 July 2024 Totally agree Sack Ofsted and league tables (they add no value to education), get the love of learning back – GCSE and A Levels are too much factory rote learning and too much content driven no wonder non attendance is growing rapidly and behaviour is dropping. I’d also like to remove parental choice go back to catchment areas and give equal funding to all. I’d also shut down every private school and take all the money that parents pay as a tax donation and allow state schools to take the buildings over. I would also, for secondary schools, have a 4 day working week (8-4) with every fourth Friday a CPD day that has proper, well organised, development training could be a visit to a site of interest, a lecture, a session led by x y z and recognition of the training. Staff could have a six month break for every 7 years they are in the profession again to increase recruitment and retention I’d also bin off MATs as the CEOs are collecting ridiculous amounts of money for nothing.