Ofsted in the news
A life’s work destroyed by insensitive Ofsted inspections
Former headteachers on the personal and professional toll of dealing with inspections I was deeply saddened to read about
Concern over inspections of special schools, MPs told
Special schools not always getting specialist Ofsted inspectors, cross-party Education Committee is told Inspections of special schools are not
EXCLUSIVE: Headteacher takes long-term sick leave after being criticised by Ofsted inspectors who dropped his school from ‘good’ to ‘inadequate’
A much-loved headteacher has taken long-term sick leave, apparently because he is suffering from stress, after being criticised by Ofsted inspectors,
Letters: Ofsted can be summed up in one word: inadequate
Prof Colin Richards stands by his 1990s criticism of the schools regulator, Michael Pyke says it was set up to enforce a
‘My colleague had a heart attack in front of me’: horrific toll of Ofsted inspections
In the wake of Ruth Perry’s suicide, headteachers speak out about the stress and fear that Ofsted visits can
‘Deeply sorry’ Ofsted chief rejects call for halt in inspections after head’s death
After Ruth Perry’s family demand urgent review, Amanda Spielman says she is open to debate about grading Amanda Spielman,
How teachers really feel about Ofsted – and the reasons they claim schools are downgraded
Following the suicide of headteacher Ruth Perry, teachers are calling for a fundamental reform of ‘punitive’ Ofsted inspections Headteachers
Ofsted and Ruth Perry: The dam has burst on strength of feeling
A small, red-brick primary school in Reading is an unlikely starting place for a seismic shift. But the death
Ofsted: Head teacher’s family blames death on school inspection pressure
A head teacher who took her own life ahead of a school inspection report was under “intolerable pressure”, her
Labour plan to replace Ofsted grades
Shadow education secretary to reveal that a Labour government would also introduce an annual review of school safeguarding An
Ofsted chief: Complaints process not ‘satisfying’ schools
Amanda Spielman also admits that pupil voice has been given too much weight in some Ofsted school inspections, speaking
Heads call for end to ‘blunt’ Ofsted ratings in inspections overhaul
ASCL says grades such as ‘requires improvement’ should be replaced by descriptions of strengths and flaws Sally Weale Education correspondent
Let teachers teach, not pore over Ofsted folders
Inspections are a charade. Heads should strive for excellence, not ratings Lucy Kellaway, Comment Sunday December 18 2022, 12.01am,
Ofsted pulls provider’s ‘inadequate’ report in unprecedented move
Re-inspection ordered six weeks after publication Ofsted has taken the unprecedented step of unpublishing an ‘inadequate’ report for a
The Times Education Commission calls for Ofsted to be reformed
Times Education Commission calls for schooling reset Times report ‘brimming with good ideas’, says children’s commissioner Dame Rachel de
Philip Hollobone MP spoke out in Parliament against Ofsted School Inspections
The speech made by Philip Hollobone, the Conservative MP for Kettering, in Westminster Hall, the House of Commons on
MP accuses Ofsted of sending ‘inspection hit squad with pre-arranged agenda’ to Kettering school
The school was downgraded to requires improvement The education watchdog has been accused of sending an ‘inspection hit squad
Ofsted’s widespread downgrading of British schools
Watchdog says lower ratings show inspections are needed but teaching leaders voice their criticism Hundreds of schools previously rated
Hundreds of schools in England lose outstanding status after reinspection
Only 17% of 370 top-rated schools kept their ranking after many years of exemption from oversight by education watchdog
Four in five ‘outstanding’ schools lose top Ofsted grade
Watchdog says data from first full year after exemption lifted shows ‘removing a school from scrutiny does not make
Ofsted’s misuse of research should be seen as a national scandal
Education journalist Warwick Mansell examines evidence that Ofsted has misused education research What has Ofsted been trying to achieve
Tables turned as teachers rate Ofsted inadequate
Fewer than one in ten teachers think Ofsted has raised standards at their school, polling for The Times has found. The
Share your Ofsted stories with Parliament
On Wednesday 8 June, Julian Sturdy MP is leading a Westminster Hall debate entitled “Accountability of Ofsted”. To inform his debate, he wants to
Hereford school hits back after Ofsted leaves inadequate grade
A HEREFORD secondary school has hit back after Ofsted said it was inadequate and inspectors had concerns over safeguarding
Academy schools get lower Ofsted ratings, research suggests
Fewer than half of academy schools improved their Ofsted rating from ‘inadequate’ or ‘requires improvement’ to ‘good’ over four
Good attendance: listen, understand, empathise and support
A new report by Ofsted looks at different aspects of pupil attendance and how schools tackle the current challenges
Ofsted swoops after brawl in school canteen on TikTok
School receives unannounced visit following complaints from parents Ofsted has conducted an emergency inspection of England’s biggest free school
Ofsted: ‘Outstanding’ primaries ‘more likely’ to be downgraded
The majority of ‘outstanding’ primary schools inspected in the autumn 2021 term were downgraded, analysis shows. Primary schools previously
Nearly half of ‘outstanding’ schools downgraded by Ofsted this term
Many of the schools previously judged as outstanding had not been inspected for more than a decade Nearly half
47% of ‘outstanding’ schools inspected this term lose status
Ofsted’s new inspection data shows nearly half of top schools downgraded, but says that schools fared better this term
The Annual Report of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills 2020/21
Ofsted’s Annual Report presents their findings for the areas they inspect in early years childcare, schools, further education and
Driven to despair by Ofsted inspections
Headteacher Rachel Hornsey deplores the shifting goalposts of school inspections. Plus letters from Dr Chris Pyle, Yvonne Williams and Prof Nick Megoran Ofsted is forcing
‘I can’t go through it again’: heads quit over ‘brutal’ Ofsted inspections
Headteachers say inspectors are ignoring or dismissing the harsh realities of Covid in schools After more than two decades
Ofsted reform is needed now to rebuild trust in inspections
Our letter stops short of calling for Ofsted to be scrapped, writes Colin Richards, but reform is required now
Large online educators face £10k bill for Ofsted accreditation visits
The watchdog has warned the online education sector is currently ‘completely unregulated’ Ofsted will charge large online education providers
‘We have a spot-check system. That puts a lot of pressure on schools’
The Positive Ofsted Reform campaign was advertised on GB NEWS by Chris Brown, Professor in Education at Durham University.
Former catch-up tsar questions Ofsted inspection timing
Sir Kevan Collins raises concerns about impact of Ofsted inspections as government seeks to accelerate school watchdog visits The
Spielman grilled by heads over Ofsted’s return
Chief inspector Amanda Spielman defends Ofsted inspections during pandemic amid criticism at Schools and Academies Show Amanda Spielman faced
Ofsted: Inspections ‘fair’ despite Covid ‘pressure’
Exclusive: Ofsted insists the best way for it to support the sector is to carry on with routine inspections
Headteachers resist Ofsted plan to reinspect ‘outstanding’ schools
Hundreds of schools across England have not been examined by the inspectorate for more than a decade. Headteachers are
Half of Ofsted’s ‘outstanding’ schools face downgrade in new inspection regime
The most highly rated secondaries are having their first Ofsted check for a decade. Many will not escape unscathed.
Call to halt Ofsted inspections for heads’ wellbeing
Pressure of ‘toxic’ graded inspections during the pandemic is driving school leaders from profession, the education secretary has been
Teachers condemn Ofsted ‘reign of terror’
Ofsted has been accused of conducting a “reign of terror” in schools and wanting teachers to act like robots.
Ofsted tells MFL teachers: don’t expose pupils to “unfamiliar” language as it is likely to demotivate them
Education Uncovered writes about how Ofsted has set out a vision for major changes to the way modern languages
Zahawi wants Ofsted to help raise school attendance
Education secretary asks DfE to do a ‘deep dive into absenteeism’ as new figures show more than one in
From ‘world’s finest’ to ‘inadequate’: Teacher trainers fail new Ofsted test
Concerns watchdog out to ‘discredit’ sector as 8 providers rated less than ‘good’. Unveiling plans to create an international
Five things Ofsted has told its inspectors this term
Five things Ofsted has told its inspectors this term Watchdog updates inspectors how to work with teachers and how
Research commentary: teaching about sex, sexual orientation and gender reassignment
Chris Jones, Ofsted’s Director, Corporate Strategy, discusses research on teaching about the protected characteristics of sex, sexual orientation and
Schools politicising lessons on gender, says Ofsted
Watchdog concerned over the way issues of sex, sexual orientation and gender reassignment are taught in schools Schools are
Exclusive: Reform Ofsted post Covid ‘battle’, say heads
A commission involving heads should be set up to review accountability structures in wake of pandemic, say school leaders
New provider hits out at validity of Ofsted inspection done ‘on limited contact time’
A new apprenticeship provider has expressed its “frustrations” with the validity of an Ofsted report that now threatens its
WATCH: High-stakes Ofsted visits ‘have ruined careers’
New NAHT president and former primary head Tim Bowen warns that schools watchdog Ofsted is not ‘fit for purpose’
Ofsted’s Chief Inspector at the Festival of Education, 2021
Amanda Spielman gave a speech at the annual Festival of Education conference. Good afternoon everyone. It’s great to be
Ofsted bosses contradictory over limiting inspection grades for poor careers advice
A confused picture has emerged after Ofsted’s chief inspector contradicted her FE director on whether poor careers advice could
Tory MP accuses Ofsted of ‘massive failure’ over sexual abuse in schools
Maria Miller issues strong criticism after publication of findings five years on from landmark report on scale of problem
SPIELMAN REAPPOINTED AS OFSTED’S CHIEF INSPECTOR OF EDUCATION AND CHILDREN’S SERVICES
Ofsted’s chief inspector of education, children’s services and skills Amanda Spielman has had her position confirmed for a further
Concerns over impartiality of school abuse review
Concerns have been raised about the impartiality of an Ofsted review into claims of sex abuse in schools. The
Ofsted cannot be immune from criticism
Ofsted might currently have the government’s full backing, but as a growing number of influential voices line up to