Ofsted is “keen to understand” how it could “reconsider” aspects of its inspector role to boost expertise as it battles with staff being poached by academy trusts and the “highest ever” level of apathy towards joining the inspectorate.
It admitted that salaries “in many parts of the sector exceed” the wages it is “currently able to afford”, in response to the parliamentary education committee’s report on its work.
The retention issue comes after a survey revealed that more teachers than ever had no interest in joining the inspectorate – and exploratory analysis suggests inspectors are visiting schools outside of their area of expertise.
Between November 2021 and November 2023, excluding those who retired, 42 per cent of schools’ inspectors left to join multi-academy trusts.
