Commenting following Ofsted’s response to the
Education Select Committee’s report on the inspectorate’s work
with schools, Tom Middlehurst, Inspection Specialist at the
Association of School and College Leaders, said:
“Ofsted’s ‘Big Listen’ is an important step forward and we note
their promise to address many of the select committee’s
recommendations immediately after this exercise concludes. It’s
vital that this results in the major reforms that the inspection
system requires. Some of these changes, including scrapping
single-phrase judgements, can only be enacted by government and
therefore the Department for Education needs to be listening just
as intently.
“We welcome Ofsted’s commitment to publishing training materials.
This is something we have long been calling for and will help
bring much-needed transparency to the inspection process, and end
the cottage industry of second-guessing what Ofsted want.
“However, we do not feel that spending more money on Ofsted is
the right priority and surely cannot be justified at a time when
schools and colleges are in the depths of a funding crisis. Any
additional funding for education must go to the frontline to put
schools on a more sustainable footing. There are important
reforms to the system, such as scrapping single-phrase
judgements, that will make a huge difference without costing a
penny.”
