Ofsted’s attempts to improve its inspection reforms have fallen flat with teachers as polling reveals the sector feels much the same as when the plans were revealed.
Almost 10,000 teachers have given their verdict on Ofsted’s finalised reforms, unveiled last week, via polling by Teacher Tapp.
Of those who had seen the plans, just 11 per cent felt positive, up one percentage point from February when Ofsted first revealed its plans.
Meanwhile, 31 per cent felt “somewhat negative” and 22 per cent “very negative” – a slight improvement from 32 per cent and 25 per cent in February.
The majority (37 per cent) felt “neutral”, up three percentage points from February.
Teacher Tapp said the results were “almost identical” to earlier replies, suggesting “the months Ofsted spent tinkering around were somewhat wasted on teachers”.
Teachers were also asked if they felt new-style inspections “will be more fair, clear or accurate”.
Most (66 per cent) felt the five-tier rating system would make “no difference” to providing a clearer picture of schools.
Sixty-nine per cent thought it would make “no difference” to providing a fairer picture of schools, and 71 per cent thought it would make “no difference” in providing a more accurate picture.
‘Missed opportunity’
Teacher Tapp, which also received almost 1,500 written responses, said the verdict was “resoundingly clear: most believe this is a missed opportunity”.
Far from believing the reforms would reduce pressure on school staff, teachers feared they would “add hugely to workload and stress” and make inspections “even more onerous”.
Teacher Tapp said the most common reaction “was that the new framework feels like little more than a cosmetic makeover”.
One described it as “rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic”.
The findings come after a snap poll last week showed teachers felt far less positive about the decision to remove single-word headline grades than they did this time last year.
More than 6,500 people responded to Ofsted’s consultation, including about 4,800 education professionals.
But the inspectorate has refused to provide a quantitative breakdown of their responses, instead giving only a narrative summary.
Ofsted is also continuing to pilot inspections in 96 schools before they start to be rolled out in November.
Schools Week asked if results of these pilots would be published, but Ofsted did not respond.
Ever since going through the PRU where I worked put into special measures and noting that the very inspection team turned up the next week to “help” us get back on track were being paid an exorbitant daily rate, did not change one single jot of what us mere teachers did and brought absolutely nothing to the table (they couldn’t find fault because the teaching team were first rate) and spent their time settling a supposed difference of opinion between the Head and the Deputy, I’ve been deeply concerned that OFSTED is fundamentally flawed. The previous LEA system whereby subject advisors built strong and creative bonds with teachers and schools, worked continuously with them to work collaboratively to develop the curriculum and share best practices and where Teachers Centres were places were vital hives of activity was a far superior system. All that was taken apart and underfunded by the target culture that’s become all stick and no carrot. OFSTED and the approach that came with it has had decade upon decade to fulfill its mission “to make every school a centre of excellence” and the experiment has signally failed. To repeat the same action again and again and expect different outcomes is a sign of madness.