Commenting on the report of the House of Commons Public Accounts
Committee (PAC) on Ofsted’s inspection of schools, Geoff Barton,
General Secretary of the Association of School and College
Leaders, said:
“There is clearly room for improvement in the school inspection
system, and we are working constructively with Ofsted over how
this can be achieved. However, it is important that the public
understands that there is no lack of scrutiny of schools and
that, if anything, they are creaking under the strain of
excessive scrutiny from multiple directions. This includes not
only Ofsted, but the Department for Education’s labyrinthine
system of performance measures, as well as governing bodies,
trust boards and regional schools commissioners.
“Our main concern about the accountability system is the severe
consequences which flow from adverse Ofsted judgements or
performance tables. Careers are wrecked in an instant and schools
are stigmatised, making it harder for them to improve. We are
losing far too many experienced leaders as a result of these
pressures, and other potential leaders are wary of stepping up
because of the risks associated with being in the firing line. It
is the harshness of the system which most needs to be reviewed.
“We note the PAC’s recommendation for a review of the current
approach whereby schools rated as good are given lighter-touch
short inspections, but we fail to see how matters would be
improved by returning to full inspections for these schools,
given that Ofsted already has the power to convert to a full
inspection if there is anything amiss. We note also the
recommendation for more feedback from parents about schools, and
while we welcome parental engagement, it is important that
inspectors make decisions on the basis of evidence, and that
inspections do not become trial by online comment. We agree with
the PAC’s recommendation to re-examine the rationale for
exempting outstanding schools from routine re-inspection, because
parents are entitled to expect the validation of an independent
inspection, but we would make the point, once again, that the
performance of these schools is continually scrutinised in other
ways.”
