APPENDIX 14
Memorandum from Stephanie Matthews (OAR
21)
1. The new form of inspections and the new
Framework have been introduced with almost indecent haste and
the gaps are showing very clearly both to the schools and to members
of inspection teams. The system of meetings before and after inspections
is a nonsense—particularly as they add at least a half day
to the time commitment and as some contractors are only paying
£20 for the first meeting and £40 for the second—which
certainly does not cover the cost of an extra overnight stay.
2. I have contracts for early March and
I still do not know where the schools are—other than by
region and the regions are very big. The contractors are finding
it difficult to complete teams as inspectors often drop out when
they find out the location of schools or when they read the contract
terms and find that in some cases they are in school for four
days and will only be paid for three. As there are now many opportunities
for education consultants to earn far more working in other areas
of education I cannot see the situation improving. At present
I am frequently offered three or more contracts for the same week—partly
because of the effects of the "windows" for inspections.
3. Another problem related to the number
of changes made this term between long and short inspections and
venues—for example one inspection scheduled for the Bristol
area has now been changed to Cambridge. Because of the poor rates
of pay I am now only prepared to work close to home or in areas
where I can stay with family—in Bristol but possibly not
in Cambridge.
4. I do not know whether you are aware that
payment by some contractors is very late. I am awaiting payment
for work completed in mid November.
5. I am also very concerned about the reluctance
of Ofsted to reply to letters from inspectors. I have been trying
to get a reply about endorsements for subjects and I have written
a series of letters to the training section. I am still awaiting
a reply to letters written in August.
6. These are only my major concerns. There
are also issues related to the software and to the increasing
pressure on inspectors to use expensive computer equipment and
the internet—all from an income which has again been reduced.
I do hope that the Select Committee will take
some of these issues into account when it prepares its questions
for Mr Woodhead on 15 February.
Stephanie Matthews
March 2000
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