Ofsted – Review and Reform

Over the last few months I’ve written a couple of blog posts Are Ofsted Off The Mark? and Ofsted - The Response highlighting the inconsistencies of Ofsted reports and calling for a review of the system. Those of you who follow me on Twitter may have joined in the #OfstedNoConfidence campaign, see hashtag/ofstednoconfidence

 

The reasons that I would like to see a total overhaul of Ofsted stem both from personal experience and the accounts that I read and hear from others concerning inconsistent and unfair reports.

For a number of years I worked in schools as support for the visually impaired. One school in particular that I went to had been given a glowing report, but turned out to be the worst school I’ve ever set foot in. Behaviour was appalling, morale was low (teachers and students) and lessons were not taught with any energy or enthusiasm.

A few years ago my son’s school was put into special measures by Ofsted, despite it being a high achieving establishment with a sense of pride and belonging. When I challenged Ofsted they admitted they had marked the school down on teaching and behaviour purely for it to score low enough to be put into these measures. Their main gripe was financial management, but as the school had no bursar or finance department, perhaps all that needed to happen was to agree to instigate one or the other. For some reason their agenda included getting rid of the (great, to my mind) head, by promising him that if he resigned other posts would be safe. As soon as he was clear of the school all the governors were dismissed and certain teaching staff ‘disappeared’ overnight. So much for making that deal good.

More recently there have been some other appalling, and quite sad, stories in the news about popular schools that have been condemned by Ofsted to the incredulity of staff, parents and pupils alike. Think Durham Free School, Bisham Primary School and The Ilfracombe Academy, to name a few.

Appeals and complaints directed at Ofsted themselves cut no mustard and The Department of Education seem to think that it’s nothing to do with them. So it’s down to us – the parents, teachers and students – to make enough noise to force an independent review of the situation.

It would appear that Ofsted don’t always work to the agenda that you would expect. Are some schools merely condemned just so they can be controlled by some of the dubious trusts that exist? To quote the Green Party, “Ofsted has become a political tool, as schools put into special measures can be fast-tracked to Academy status”. This is just one point of view, but I personally believe Ofsted have a different motive than is first apparent.

What reforms do there need to be? Well, here are a few ideas for starters.

- Change the existing forms designed for parents to complete, from tick boxes to forms that allow free and full comment.

- Include parents in the inspections themselves, holding a discussion session that can be attended by all those who would like to have their say.

- Ensure that all Ofsted teams are made up of a fair mix of inspectors from different backgrounds, beliefs, ages etc

- Ensure that all relevant data and comments are considered during the inspection, to include press (good and bad), parental complaints, evidence of community involvement, details of particularly difficulties that the school has had to overcome and so on.

- If a school genuinely falls down on a particular category, assistance should be provided to overcome that particular issue, rather than dismiss the head/close the school/put the school in special measures when there is often a solution available.

If there are ideas that you would like to see added to this list, please leave a comment on this blog, or tweet me @blogsbyjoy

Thank you for your support, please remember to use #OfstedNoConfidence on Twitter!

March Musings

March is always such on optimistic month, heralding, as it does, the arrival of spring. As the nation heads less optimistically towards a general election, we brace ourselves for the onslaught of campaign speeches and backstabbing sessions. What did grab our attention this month, however, was the solar eclipse, sadly not visible to us all because of cloud cover just at the wrong moment! Still, on the whole, the month has seen the arrival of some brighter, warmer weather, which has proved welcome to us all.

Less of this ...

This improvement in the weather saw us going on our first proper outing of the year. Our destination – Quex Park Powell-Cotton Museum in Kent. The museum houses a series of natural history dioramas – stuffed animals ranging from mice to giraffes – disturbing and striking in equal measure. There is also a great hands-on room where visitors can play musical instruments, try on costumes and delve in drawers of secrets. The gardens make a lovely setting for a picnic and postprandial stroll and although not open until 31^st March, there is an historic house to peruse. Admission for museum and gardens combined is £6 for adults, £4 for children (£8 and £6 respectively to include house) and ticket sales operatives do try and press you to agree to Gift Aid donations. We declined, to their horror, as we feel this should be reserved for more deserving charities – also theoretically, the charge should be different to include Gift Aid, as detailed in Gift Aid Explained so technically they’re breaking the rules!

... more of this!

The warmer weather (together with a glimpse of myself in a changing room mirror recently) has set me on a mission to dispense with a few of my ‘flabby bits’ in preparation for wearing all those lovely spring and summer clothes. This has involved cutting down on quite a number of foods, strangely mostly those beginning with the letter ‘C’ – crisps, chocolate, cheese, cake – and eating somewhat healthier substitutes. My current favourite lunch comprises sliced avocado and tomato, olives, cottage cheese and crispbread – it’s surprisingly satisfying and tasty!

March has seen me continue with the campaign that I started back in February, to push for an independent review of Ofsted in light of some very inconsistent and often unfair reports. Many schools commended and praised by parents and students have been deemed as ‘failing’, whilst those on the receiving end of parental complaints appear to have been judged as ‘good’. Just what agenda is Ofsted working from? To add your support to my campaign, please tweet using #OfstedNoConfidence and if you’ve not yet read my previous Ofsted posts do so here and here

Thank you for your continued support! 

Ofsted – The Response

Last month I wrote a post about my exasperation at the inconsistency and unfairness of Ofsted reports, which I backed up with communications to the PM and various government ministers. (Read Are Ofsted Off The Mark? for more).

Thank you for all of you who read this post (a record number) and those of you who commented via my Twitter account @blogsbyjoy If only politicians had been as forthcoming with their responses!

After much delay, I finally received a reply from the Department For Education, washing their hands of the whole affair. It seems they really don’t care how unfair some of the Ofsted reports that schools receive really are, their basic belief is, “It’s nothing to do with us!”

Here is an extract from their email to me:

“I should explain that Ofsted is an independent, non-ministerial government department, and therefore I am unable to comment on their processes. If you have not already done so, you may wish to follow the Ofsted complaints procedure which you can find details of on the Ofsted website at: www.ofsted.gov.uk/contact-us/how-complain<http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/contact-us/how-complain”.

Now, I don’t care how ‘independent’ Ofsted are reported to be, someone has to be responsible for overseeing their conduct. It’s not acceptable for them to be self-regulating as they are so obviously flawed! Reports are inconsistent, they don’t respond well to parents’ views and concerns and many inspectors appear out of touch with what students, parents and teachers really want and need!

I would also like to point out, that in my original email (which had been addressed to the PM) I had explained that I’d already attempted to complain to Ofsted – on at least three occasions! I had been mostly ignored and on the final occasion purely received an empty promise that was never followed up. Is it any wonder that I’m so totally exasperated?

I’ve also been appalled to hear about a school that had been investigated and flagged as a problem by the local council, following parents’ complaints of harsh treatment of young pupils, recently being given a ‘good’ report by Ofsted. Work that one out! It appears that the school was made an academy during the initial investigations, meaning that the council report could then be disregarded, although gross misconduct of staff at the school had been declared! The police were also involved yet sadly could not gather enough evidence to press the case. But what the hell were Ofsted inspectors thinking to add insult to injury by issuing a good report?

And so the fight goes on. Ofsted is completely overdue an independent review. If the government doesn’t give a damn, then perhaps an investigative journalist or current affairs programme would like to step in and get to the bottom of the whole debacle.

Until such a time, I believe that more good schools will be ‘written off’ for all the wrong reasons, whilst some of those that treat students and parents appallingly, will get glowing reports because they’ve managed to tick the right boxes on forms!

Please join the fight to review Ofsted by approaching your local MP or the culprits themselves, or tweeting me using the hashtag #OfstedNoConfidence If enough of us make a noise, hopefully something will change!

That February Feeling

February can be a gloomy month. The delights of Christmas are long past and spring still seems that little bit out of reach. Personally I dislike February even more than January, despite the evenings being slightly lighter, it just seems a bit of a tedious month.

Looking back over my posts for February, I realise that they appeared to give off a few negative vibes, seeming a bit gloomy. It’s true that I debated a few serious issues, with none of the light-hearted banter that I sometimes include, but I stand by my comments aimed at making pertinent points.

The post that I’m most passionate about is Are Ofsted Off The Mark? detailing my reasons for pushing for a complete review of Ofsted. Reports don’t always seem to reflect how students, parents and teachers perceive their school and are too subjective depending on which inspectors actually visit. I’ve read an article where Ofsted actually admit that opinion can vary depending on which team actually go into a school. Ofsted reports shouldn’t be a game of chance, there has to be a way of making them more reliable – involving parents more and ensuring Ofsted teams have a wider mix of inspectors from different backgrounds, for example. I’ve contacted the PM and various MPs and hope at some point to get some responses to share with you.

In Merging Into One I discussed how large companies are swallowing up the competition, reducing consumer choice in the process. If we want companies to stay on their toes and endeavour to deliver the best service and value-for-money, then these takeovers must be restricted – otherwise where do we turn for better deals?

My Thoughts On Half Term post may have sounded like a bit of a rant – I suppose in effect it was, but whilst I don’t want to be a killjoy I do believe we should be instilling consideration for others in our children. I’m a mother of three (the youngest now a teenager) and have always taught respect and good manners, expecting others to do the same. We should all be having fun with our kids, but not in a way that spoils enjoyment of an experience for others. You can have fun and good manners too!

So in March I’ll try and include a bit more light-heartedness in my posts, whilst still addressing the odd serious issue should it arise.

In the meantime, what things have made me happy in February? My local craft shop selling tapestry kits normally priced at £30+ for just £7, enjoying a pub meal with my husband to celebrate our wedding anniversary (not an impersonal chain, but a local, independent pub), spending time with my teenage son and catching up with friends.

You can also read my tales of doing up an old workshop in a countryside setting at www.ruraljoy.blogspot.co.uk

Thoughts On Half Term

February Half Term holiday is always a bit of a funny one. The weather’s not always great, so outdoor activities may not be top of the agenda, but strangely many indoor attractions don’t open their doors until at least March, and in many cases April.

Searching for places to visit this week I was surprised to see so many museums were closed, stately homes too, although the latter I can understand a bit more, as muddy boots and plush carpets don’t mix very well. Although I have visited venues where disposable overshoes are provided to slip over your outdoor ones – a kind of compromise. But many museums keep their doors firmly shut at this time of year – a bad move as far as I’m concerned. Once the sun is shining I want to visit outdoor attractions, not closet myself indoors!

Fortunately, a couple of our local museums were open to the public this week so I popped in for a browse with my son. At the first we had a lovely, tranquil visit, but sadly our trip to the second was chaos!

I couldn’t believe the number of parents that were just letting their children run riot! Whilst some were engaging their children with interesting chats about what they were seeing or helping them to complete the quiz sheets provided, others were just standing by while their offspring rolled around on the floor (and I’m not talking toddlers), ran headlong into other visitors and whooped at full volume.

Now I don’t believe that children should be seen and not heard, or that they should tag along meekly without a bit of self-expression, but I do think that basic manners should be observed. A troop of youngsters, old enough to understand how to treat others, should not really be barging into other visitors without a polite, “excuse me” or “sorry”.

Sadly, it became apparent how some of their behaviour had been acquired. We were walking along a narrow aisle of the museum, when we found our way blocked by a group of mothers engaging in intense conversation. My first “excuse me please” was ignored, my second request yielded a tiny step to the side by one individual, which still did not allow me to pass due to her enormous umbrella sticking out at a dangerous angle. We eventually managed to pass amidst tuts and filthy looks, as if we were in the wrong!

I think it’s great that places such as museums often provide interesting workshops and activities for kids during the school holidays, but if you take your child along to such a place, I urge you to encourage consideration for others – and lead by example!

Are Ofsted Off The Mark?

It seems that Ofsted is mentioned in the news on a fairly regular basis, often with regard to schools that they have deemed to be ‘failing’, when judged by their existing criteria. But is the current inspection system itself in need of a major review?

There was a time when I may have taken an Ofsted report at face value. If a school was put in special measures, I may well have believed it was well deserved. Similarly, I would have lapped up every word of a glowing report, believing that it was the type of place that my children should attend. But not any more.

Following a few personal experiences, I would like to raise the question, what is Ofsted’s real agenda? Let me explain the basis for this reaction.

Several years ago, I worked for a school that had only just received a ‘good’ Ofsted report. On the basis of this I had no qualms at joining the support staff at said school. But within days of starting work, I was flabbergasted as to how the establishment had managed to be rated so highly. Behaviour was appalling, staff members were apathetic and results only vaguely reasonable. Perhaps the lad who turned to me one lesson and said, “They sent all the naughty ones out the day Ofsted came”, was not merely speaking in jest.

Following a particularly bad behavioural incident, I felt the need to speak to a member of the management team, who basically couldn’t give two hoots! Things got worse and I decided to leave, but not without communicating to Ofsted my concerns about the school – only to be ignored.

Fast forward to more recent times. I was pleased to get my son into a great grammar school, where the staff members were helpful, results good and the atmosphere friendly. The year after my son started at the school, it topped the results table for the county and I was really pleased with his individual progress.

Then Ofsted came along.

Overnight, the school was put into special measures, the lovely head disappeared without a ‘goodbye’ and new one blustered in like a bull in a china shop. The schools individuality was stripped, as the school became part of a trust that just seems to want to ‘clone’ the school. When it comes to education, one size does not fit all!

As a parent I protested, taking the time to express my concerns to Ofsted. Their first reaction was that I’d had my chance for my say by filling in their questionnaire. Have you ever seen the Ofsted questionnaire? It’s just a series of tick boxes, with no room to expand on or explain any of the issues that you really want to address.

I persisted with communications to Ofsted, including sending a letter to Sir Michael Wilshaw. Eventually I wore them down enough to get a slightly longer reply, including a promise to meet with me on their next visit to the school. Like that happened!

I’ve never agreed with the decision to put my son’s school into special measures, or had the opportunity to discuss it properly. The ‘good’ news is it is now deemed by Ofsted to be a good school, which is somewhat surprising as to my mind it’s not a patch on what it was. Communications and admin are far worse than they ever were, but fortunately teaching is good – just as I’d always thought!

Time and again I hear of more schools receiving poor reports and being put into special measures. Most recently, Durham Free School have hit the news, threatened with closure despite a recent Department of Education report, declaring it to be “A successful free school securing good teaching.”

It’s true some schools may be struggling, but others I feel are being judged too harshly. It seems that Ofsted wants all schools to fit a mould – any deviation from their tick box system, however good results and student’s and parent’s views of the school, and Ofsted storm in.

As a result of this our choices of school for our children will become more limited, as each one becomes slowly cloned, lead by a series of Ofsted’s ‘yes men’ (and women, of course).

None of us want our children to suffer through poor educational standards – we’d like them to achieve their best – but we also want them to feel happy and safe, and experience a sense of belonging in the process.

Come on everyone! Let’s press for a total review of Ofsted, and stop good schools from receiving damning reports that actually can mean a change for the worse!

Please feel free to leave comments on this post – I will be lobbying MPs and other appropriate bodies – and your support is appreciated.