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14 November 2026

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Opinion

How Ofsted is trying to tackle the culture of teaching to the test

Inspection should capture the things that no data measure can, says Amanda Spielman. ‘We need to look at how a school has achieved results, not just take them at face value’ I hope that most of you will have seen that we have now published a consultation on our new education inspection framework that we intend […]

Ofsted should stop judging schools and focus on improvement

We need the school inspection process to move from a weak evaluative judgmental one, to focus on improvement first and foremost, says Stephen Tierney Key to having a national inspection system is that the judgements made are reliable. That is, it shouldn’t matter which team of inspectors goes into your school or your child’s school […]

Does Ofsted’s draft inspection framework pass the inclusion test?

The beefed up focus on special needs and disabilities in Ofsted’s draft inspection framework is welcome, but there’s more they could do if they really want to incentivise schools to be inclusive, notes Adam Boddison Earlier this year, I made the case that under Ofsted’s education inspection framework (EIF) no school should be able to […]

Six things we’ve learnt from Ofsted’s new draft inspection framework

Following the publication of Ofsted’s plans for the future of education inspection in England, Ian Hartwright shares his thoughts on the new arrangements 1. Curriculum focus Schools can expect a big shift in emphasis from inspectors in school, ending an obsession with the scrutiny of pupil data and moving to a greater professional discussion on […]

Grammar school opponents need to find some new arguments

The public wants more grammar schools and the academics who oppose them are ignoring some of their arguments in their favour, says Nick Hillman More than half a century after they were all meant to have been killed off, England still has 163 grammar schools. Those that are left are like a baddie in a […]

How can schools reduce teacher sickness?

Hands up if you were ill over Christmas and New Year? If you stayed healthy, then well done you. About half of teachers get sick during the holidays, according to our Teacher Tapp survey data, so be aware it might get you next time! Why are teachers so prone to Christmas illness? In part, it […]

What are the top 3 priorities for teacher recruitment in 2019?

A focus on professional development will get us closer to where we need to be, says Emma Hollis Last year was one of great promise for those of us working in initial teacher training. At the heart of that promise was the Department for Education (DfE) consultation on strengthening qualified teacher status and improving career […]

How can schools lodge a complaint against an Ofsted judgment?

The Court of Appeal last month found in favour of Ofsted against Durand Academy’s challenge to its procedure. In the light of the court’s decision, Katie Michelon lists the steps you should consider if you want to make a complaint against the inspectorate The Court of Appeal ruled last month that Ofsted’s complaints procedure is […]

Is there such a thing as too much education data?

We need to become more nuanced in our reactions to research findings, says Timo Hannay We are awash in data about education. The Department for Education routinely releases information about schools in England, covering everything from academic attainment and pupil demographics to school staffing and finances. (Schools in other parts of the UK are administered […]