Is OFSTED fit for today’s purpose?
- @Admin
- 25 March 2023
- Uncategorised
So, Unions say ‘pause inspections’ following the tragic death of a head teacher; OFSTED says stopping inspections would not be in children’s best interest. Perhaps a pause is required for some reflection, about the full process of the current inspection routine, from the school staff’s near continual worry and stress of the short notice ‘pounce’ on a school, the inspection itself and the aftermath of the published report.
There is a general fear of OSTED. This is unhealthy. This fear manifests as school staff stress; conscious, or sub-conscious this can only affect the overall staff performance, whose job it is to educate the children, not only in academics but also in life. Generally, these children are very perceptive and will pick up on teacher weakness. Some will exploit these weaknesses to the detriment of others. Fear of OFSTED needs to be eliminated, or at the very least replaced with positive mild apprehension. Perhaps ‘excitement’ about a forthcoming check would be too close to Utopia….. to be realistically achievable. One can but dream.
OSTED is correct, that stopping inspections [generally] would not be in children’s best interest. Inspections are still needed but is the current regime self-defeating the purpose?
The unions are correct; there needs to be a pause in the inspection routine to reflect on the whole system’s suitability. Is it fit, not only for today’s purpose, but for tomorrow’s too?
