Commenting on the Education Committee report approving the
appointment of Sir Martyn Oliver as Ofsted’s new Chief Inspector
from 1 January 2024, Daniel Kebede, General Secretary of
the National Education Union, said:
"As Martyn Oliver takes up the post of the new Chief Inspector of
Ofsted, he will know that he is taking over an organisation in
which the profession has lost trust.
"The Chief Inspector will need to listen to and genuinely engage
with all parts of the profession and all types of school and do
things very differently. Evaluating schools fairly at a time of
such social and economic pressures, and educational
under-funding, is complex. The human cost of inspection has
rightly been under the spotlight this year. The current
inspection system is not reliable or fair and does not take into
account the many factors which affect schools. It is time for a
real engagement with the chorus of voices calling for a much
better system of inspection; one that is supportive, effective
and fair.
"Evaluating schools robustly, and in ways that generates good
teaching and learning is so important – but it simply must be
done in a way which is motivational for leaders and for staff and
which retains them in our education system. Real policy change is
needed because Ofsted is out of touch with the realities school
staff are juggling on the ground, especially as so many other
family and children’s services have disappeared.
"The NEU is proud to be part of the Beyond Ofsted Inquiry, which
will be publishing its final report and recommendations for a new
system of school inspection. Constructive change is needed
because Ofsted has clearly failed in its brief."
