NEU comments on Ofsted’s education inspection framework consultation

Commenting on Ofsted’s education inspection framework consultation which closes today, Dr Mary Bousted, Joint General Secretary of the National Education Union, said:

“The NEU believes that we need a fundamental overhaul of the accountability system and that tinkering with the Ofsted framework will make no helpful difference to the government’s desire to improve teacher or headteacher recruitment, retention or wellbeing.

“While professional conversations about curriculum should be welcome, we believe it is the Ofsted regime which has led the profession away from that, and the continued use of inspection judgements will mean that schools and colleges will be doing work to please Ofsted, rather than engaging in the professional review which would support learners.

“We believe that the questions in the consultation document are both leading and shallow. Ofsted must properly engage the profession if it is to do any more than change the focus of an inherently damaging system.”