How Ofsted lost its way
From our UK edition
If I told you that Ofsted had lost its soul, you might be surprised that it ever had one. You might also wonder why it matters. As someone teaching when Ofsted was introduced, and who has been subject to seven inspections under seven different frameworks, five of them as a headteacher of a comprehensive, I’ve discovered that it does matter. Over the years, I fought the good fight on each occasion, and in the process, I learnt to respect my opponent. Not this time, however. This time, two days of fraught psychological drama came to an end of frustration and lament. School inspectors are powerful but, in my experience, mostly well-motivated. At its best, Ofsted has been about setting standards, not accepting excuses.
