Ofsted

Ofsted   (Regulator)
Type	Non-ministerial government department
Staff	1,275
Interests	Academisation

The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) is a non-ministerial department of the UK government, reporting to Parliament. Ofsted covers only England. The Education and Training Inspectorate in Northern Ireland, Education Scotland (previously HM Inspectorate of Education) in Scotland, and Estyn in Wales perform similar functions within their education systems.

In June 2023, MPs launched an inquiry into Ofsted's school inspections, looking at how useful they are to parents, governors and schools in England. The inquiry - by cross-party MPs on the Education Select Committee - will not look at the circumstances around Ruth Perry's death. Those will be examined fully in an inquest later this year.

Mrs Perry's sister, Professor Julia Waters, said she was delighted there would be a "proper investigation into the inspection system" that would "hold Ofsted to account".

Ofsted appointment

In June 2016, Amanda Spielman was selected by the Education Secretary, Nicky Morgan, to take over as Ofsted's Chief Inspector to replace Sir Michael Wilshaw. Following a pre-appointment hearing, Spielman's nomination was rejected by the Education Select Committee which expressed concerns about her suitability, citing her lack of teaching experience and her failure to show "passion" and lack of understanding for the "complex role".

Mrs Morgan, however, dismissed such objections and in her capacity as Cabinet minister wrote to Neil Carmichael, the Committee's chairman, confirming her appointment of Mrs Spielman.

One-word judgments

On 17 June 2023, the Daily Telegraph reported:

Ofsted’s former chief inspector has said that one-word judgements are “damning” and “unfair” after changing his mind on the issue in the wake of Ruth Perry’s suicide.

Sir Michael Wilshaw, who has previously defended one-word judgements, told the Telegraph that he has changed his mind, in part, for “personal” and “humanitarian” reasons.

He said: “To actually say ‘inadequate’ and call an individual leader ‘inadequate’ I think is hugely unfair and damning.”

Ms Perry, the former headmistress of Caversham Primary in Reading, took her own life in January after learning that her school would be downgraded from “outstanding” to “inadequate”.

The Ofsted report praised many areas of the school as “good”, but said there was a “weak understanding of safeguarding requirements” among staff.

Sir Michael said: “Somebody who has committed themselves to that school, who has had past evidence of success, and where other areas of the school are very successful, as in Caversham Primary, to turn around and say, ‘you are inadequate’ I think is wholly unfair.”

He added: “She must have felt terrible when that judgement was made of her.”

Sir Michael said he had also changed his mind on the issue because he believes that Ofsted inspections are “inconsistent”.

Golden Hillock report

In the Golden Hillock report, Ofsted said: “Too little is done to keep students safe from the risks associated with extremist views.”

Ofsted role in academisation

In 2023 filmmaker Chester Yang produced a documentary entitled The Great Schools Robbery about how schools are being sold off to the private sector through enforced academisation. The film exposes the privatisation of state-owned schools in England, and the role of Ofsted in converting them into academies. A school that is rated as 'inadequate' by Ofsted is subject to repeat inspections until it 'improves'. But once a school becomes an academy, its rating is immediately removed and the academy is not inspected by Ofsted for at least two years.

The Great Schools Robbery

"The Great Schools Robbery"

Chester Yang was interviewed by Crispin Flintoff on the Not the Andrew Marr Show of 26 May 2023.

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