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17 April 2026

Tag: Amanda Spielman

Johnson: Parents should ‘absolutely’ send their children to open primary schools

Parents should “absolutely” send their children in to primary schools in areas where they’re open next week, the prime minister has said. However, interviewed on the Andrew Marr show this morning, Boris Johnson repeatedly refused to say whether he would penalise local authorities that urge their schools to stay closed to most pupils in conflict […]

Restricting exams to core subjects ‘under consideration’, suggests Spielman

Ofqual is considering whether to only have exams in core subjects next year, with centre-assessment grades used for the remainder, Amanda Spielman has suggested. The Ofsted chief inspector, who is chairing Ofqual’s new “recovery committee” formed to oversee the fallout from this year’s exams fiasco, said holding exams only in core subjects was “the kind […]

Sir Jon Coles appointed to Ofqual’s recovery committee

The head of one of the country’s largest academy trusts has been appointed to a committee set up to oversee Ofqual’s recovery from the exams fiasco. Sir Jon Coles, chief executive of United Learning, has been announced today as one of the seven people on the regulator’s new “recovery committee” which will also lead on […]

Spielman: Not ‘realistic’ to expect schools to provide ‘full’ online teaching

It is not “sensible or realistic” to expect schools to provide a “full on-screen taught programme” for all absent pupils, Amanda Spielman has said. The chief inspector of schools told academy trust leaders this morning that interim visits due to start next week will look at how schools are “responding intelligently and doing what is […]

Criticism of home-learning ‘unhelpful’, says Spielman

Ofsted’s chief inspector has said it is “profoundly disappointing” to see commentators trying to “polarise” the back-to-school debate by “portraying teachers in a negative light”. Teachers’ safety concerns about returning to the classroom have prompted criticism from national newspaper columnists and some politicians. Writing for Schools Week, Amanda Spielman said it was “very clear to […]

Coronavirus: Routine inspections not likely before summer, says Spielman

Ofsted is unlikely to resume routine inspections of schools this academic year, Amanda Spielman has told MPs. The chief inspector appeared in front of the Parliamentary education committee by video link this morning, to answer questions about coronavirus and other pressing issues facing the inspectorate. Here’s what we learned.   1. Routine inspections unlikely before […]

Nearly nine in ten ‘satisfied’ with Ofsted’s new inspections

Nearly nine in ten respondents to a post-inspection survey since September are satisfied with their inspection, according to new statistics. Speaking in Birmingham at the weekend, Amanda Spielman said it was a “small and vocal minority” who were criticising the new inspection framework. In data released today, it shows that 88.6 per cent of 1,336 […]

Framework criticism is just ‘small and vocal minority’, claims defiant Spielman

The criticism of Ofsted’s new inspection framework is solely down to a “small and vocal minority”, Amanda Spielman will claim this weekend, as the government prepares to intervene in matters. The chief inspector will tell ResearchED Birmingham that “feedback from many directions is telling us that the inspections are nearly always working well” with schools […]