Personal Development

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By Vanessa ClarkeEducation reporter

The death of head teacher Ruth Perry has highlighted The pressure which Ofsted inspections can put on schools.

Ms Perry.

Some teachers' unions have called for inspections to be halted, but The Department For Education says they are " hugely important".

What is Ofsted and what does it do?

Ofsted, The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills, inspects and reports on anywhere that provides education for Young People in England - including schools, nurseries and childminders.

Schools or organisations are inspected every Four Years or 30 months depending on their status, and are then graded accordingly:

Many parents rely on Ofsted ratings to help them choose a school or nursery for their child.

As at November 2022, 88% of schools in England were rated either outstanding or good.

In Wales, inspections are carried out by, in Scotland they are done by and in Northern Ireland by The .

Why are lots of 'outstanding' schools being downgraded?

Schools that were rated good or outstanding used to be assessed every Four Years , but routine inspections for outstanding schools stopped in 2011 so resources could be focussed on The worst-performing institutions.

However, Ofsted became concerned that this meant some had not been visited for More Than a decade. So in 2020, The government restored routine inspections to ensure parents had more up-to-date information.

There were 3,400 outstanding schools in England in 2020, and Ofsted plans to re-inspect them all by Summer 2025.

The shows that of The 359 outstanding schools visited between September 2022 and February 2023:

Ofsted that many schools now being reassessed have experienced since their last inspection.

What happens during an inspection?

During an Ofsted Visit - which can last up to Two Days - inspectors observe lessons and talk to staff and pupils.

The School is normally notified about an inspection The Day before.

Schools can request to defer or cancel a Visit , but only in exceptional circumstances

Inspectors judge schools on criteria based on The government's.

They assess a school's overall performance, The quality of education delivered, pupil behaviour and attitudes, staff Personal Development and The calibre of leadership and management. They also consider The effectiveness of safeguarding policies.

The Final report gives The School one overall grade.

The National Association of Headteachers (NAHT) says The current inspection system places " a completely unacceptable level of pressure on individual school leaders".

Why are schools downgraded?

A school can be downgraded if it fails one part of The inspection.

The - where Ruth Perry worked - described a " welcoming and vibrant school" where staff-pupil relationships were " warm and supportive" and bullying was rare.

But it also highlighted a lack of " appropriate supervision during breaktimes" which meant pupils were " potentially At Risk of harm".

Professor Sonia Blandford from Plymouth Marjon University has experience of Ofsted inspections.

She says The 24-hour notice period places considerable pressure on leaders, teachers and The whole community, and that " every aspect of The School " is looked at in a very short period of time.

" The outcome is quite harsh, " she added, since a downgrade can affect pupil numbers, school morale and have " a reputational impact".

What happens after an inspection?

A school that is graded good or outstanding will be re-inspected after Four Years , but is also given recommendations on how it can improve in The interim.

Any school found to require improvement will receive another inspection within 30 months.

Schools that are rated inadequate become, and are supported by another outstanding school or charity.

Head teachers can complain if they think there is a problem with The rating received.

What do critics of The current system want to happen?

Several teaching unions, including The NAHT, The Association of School and College Leaders and The National Education Union.

They are calling for an immediate review of The impact of inspections on The wellbeing of school and college staff, especially heads, and want The current system of single graded judgements to be replaced.

The Department For Education said inspections were a " legal requirement" which " hold schools to account for their educational standards".

Estyn in Wales and have both moved away from a single grade approach.

The Labour Party also recently suggested moving to in England , which would replace The current grades with more detailed information about school performance.

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Source of news: bbc.com