Watchdog says lower ratings show inspections are needed but teaching leaders voice their criticism
Hundreds of schools previously rated as “outstanding” have been downgraded by Ofsted following their first inspections in many years.
The general downgrading proves that leaving a school to its own devices does not make it better, according to Ofsted, but anger is growing among teachers over the “brutal” inspections.
Why were schools revisited?
During the last academic year, more than 500 schools were visited after a clause that made them exempt from frequent reinspection was lifted. Introduced by Michael Gove in 2012, the clause meant outstanding schools didn’t need regular visits unless there were specific concerns.
However, the exemption was lifted in 2020 after Ofsted warned that over a thousand schools had not been inspected in at least ten years, said Schools Week.
