The school inspectorate in England, Ofsted, has faced criticism recently following the death of headteacher Ruth Perry. According to her family, Perry’s death was a “direct result” of the pressure resulting from the Ofsted inspection process which resulted in her school being judged as “inadequate”.
This has sparked debate about whether the current Ofsted framework should be changed. Ofsted chief inspector, Amanda Spielman, rejected calls to halt inspections. But the Ofsted inspection system does not have to work in the way it currently does. There isn’t strong evidence to back up the Ofsted model – and our research shows that there are alternative systems.
The current schools’ watchdog Ofsted was created in 1992. Since then, Ofsted has undergone changes to its framework, but a key mechanism Ofsted has consistently used to raise standards is that of punishment and reward.
As part of this system, school inspection grades are awarded and made public and inspection reports are made public. Sanctions can be recommended that could lead to school closures. As part of the accountability system, league tables of examination results are made public in England.
