Memorandum submitted by Frank Shore
1. SUMMARY
Ofsted inspections are too short in time scale and
rely too much on Schools self-evaluation process, unless visits
are more thorough they should be scrapped. They have been tailored
so as to cause little stress to members of the teaching staff
and head teachers and this totally undermines their effectiveness.
2. MY BACKGROUND
I write as a former Chair of Governors of a community
school and a chartered accountant with some 40 years experience
in business and with the financial audit process. The views expressed
are my personal views.
3. SUBMISSION
Ofsted visits are too short and rely too much on
meetings with the head teacher and on the schools own self evaluation
of its processes. The financial audit of a medium sized business
takes several days or weeks and auditors speak with staff as and
when they deem necessary. Whereas an extensive Ofsted visit is
about two days and inspectors are given access to certain staff
members only who will have prepared for the visit. It is just
not possible for an inspector to form a true view of a school
in these circumstances.
Inspectors should attend School Leadership Team and
Governors meetings to ensure that the management and Governance
processes truly are effective.
4. RECOMMENDATION
Inspectors should visit schools on several separate
occasions over the course of a term and some of these visits should
be unannounced so that inspectors are better above to see the
school as it really is and truly hold the headteacher and teaching
staff to account as happens in many other professions.
October 2010
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