An “exemplary” Ofsted inspector is to be awarded compensation after he was unfairly sacked for brushing raindrops off a pupil’s forehead and shoulders.
Andrew Hewston, 56, who was said to have had an unblemished career at the Whitehall department responsible for assessing schools in England, was dismissed after visiting a school with a senior Ofsted colleague.
He sued the department and his sacking was backed by an employment tribunal. However, he challenged that ruling and an employment appeal tribunal has now overturned the judgment.
Hewston, from Sutton Coldfield, told the appeal judges that the incident involving the child had been “blown out of proportion” and was not a safeguarding issue.
