Ofsted | Schools Week

A tenth of England’s schools and colleges named on Everyone’s Invited website

A tenth of all schools and colleges in England have been named in testimonies on the Everyone’s Invited website detailing rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment. The campaign, which urges young sexual abuse survivors to share their stories on its website, last night published a list of about 2,700 English education institutions mentioned alongside anonymous allegations […]

Wilshaw returns to headship with interim role at London school JFS

The former chief inspector of Ofsted Sir Michael Wilshaw has stepped back into headship after almost a decade, with an interim role at a London Jewish school. JFS, in Brent, has informed parents that Wilshaw has agreed to serve as its interim executive principal for the “remainder of this term”, following the departure at the […]

Ofsted: Brexit ‘insecurity’ and lack of CPD pose languages ‘challenges’

“Insecurity” around Brexit and a lack of continuing professional development could pose “challenges” for schools in delivering a high quality languages curriculum, Ofsted has warned. The watchdog today published its fourth research review, which focuses on languages. Its previous reviews covered maths, science and religious education. The review noted a “worrying fall” in the number of […]

Chris Russell to replace Sean Harford as Ofsted’s national education director

Ofsted is to name Chris Russell as its new national director of education, replacing Sean Harford, Schools Week has learned. The watchdog revealed last month that Harford will leave at the end of August this year after deciding to take early retirement. Russell is currently Ofsted’s regional director for the south east, having previously held […]

Spielman bags two more years as Ofsted chief inspector

Amanda Spielman has been given two extra years in the role of Ofsted chief inspector, the Department for Education has confirmed. Schools Week revealed earlier this month that the extension had been agreed by government but was awaiting Privy Council signoff. The DfE confirmed today that it is going ahead. Spielman joined the watchdog in […]

Speed read: Ofsted’s guide to a ‘high-quality’ maths curriculum

Ofsted has highlighted the key qualities of teaching a ‘high-quality’ maths curriculum which raises pupil attainment and prevents struggling pupils from falling further behind. The inspectorate today published its third research review in a series which has so far covered science and religious education. Ofsted said it recognised there was no “singular way of achieving […]

Closing special school rapped by Ofsted ‘frustrated’ by lack of LA support

Leaders at a special school judged ineffective during the pandemic have been left “frustrated” by a lack of support from their local authority ahead of the school’s closure, an Ofsted report has found. Hunters Hill College, in Bromsgrove, is one of only a handful of schools found by the watchdog to not be supporting children […]

Illegal schools: Government accused of ‘unacceptable’ delays to crackdown

The government has been accused of “unacceptable” delays to its crackdown on illegal schools, as new figures show tip-offs to Ofsted now average 12 a month. The inspectorate wants ministers to act “swiftly” on promised reforms, while safeguarding chiefs and campaigners say agencies will still have inadequate powers to inspect and close sites. A Schools […]

DfE report: Schools in big MATs shun moves to share responsibility for excluded pupils

Schools in large multi-academy trusts have “refused to engage” in efforts to make them more responsible for excluded pupils in some parts of England, according to a government-commissioned report on alternative provision. New research for the Department for Education highlighted the need for “formal mechanisms” to deal with mainstream schools declining to work more closely […]