It cannot have gone unnoticed that I am not exactly a fan of OFSTED - the government's schools inspection body. This is because I believe that its raison d'etre is primarily to stay in existence, rather than promote higher standards of education. Speaking as someone who has been on the receiving end of OFSTED's attention over many years before retirement, it's good to have the chance to turn the tables - and I know that many of my friends and colleagues, still serving, support me in this.
Well, OFSTED has made yet another sensational (not to mention scandalous) discovery. It seems that the UK is slipping in the international league tables in standards of Literacy. A full account of this can be read HERE.. This outrageous matter has been found out, by pure coincidence, shortly after the appointment of the new OFSTED supremo, Sir Michael Wilshaw. Sir Michael has impressed the government by his ability to walk around a playground, telling pupils off and stopping them from hugging each other. Having such unique talents,he is clearly the man needed as Chief Inspector for Schools.
All well and good, but I have to point out the question that no-one ever asks: if Literacy standards are so bad in our schools, why has OFSTED not noticed before? Even by OFSTED's own data, the slippage has been underway since 2009. Why has the watchdog not been watching? And who, if anyone, has been watching the watchdog?
What really concerns me is something more pressing than statistics, which are always questionable anyway. I am bothered about the effect that all these "discoveries" are having upon the morale of ordinary classroom teachers, who, despite what you might read in the Daily Mail, are overwhelmingly hard working, caring people. I know that they will be dismayed by yet another attack upon them and their status in the eyes of the public. If you are told repeatedly that you are not doing a good job, then you can get to believe it. As I have pointed out in previous posts, OFSTED pressure has already led to teacher suicides. This latest issue, timed suspiciously shortly after the appointment of Sir Michael, will not help.
I would like to see the teacher unions asking one post-budget question: why have there been no cuts in the OFSTED budget? Less pressure from this self-serving body can only result in happier teachers, more settled schools, and an improved education service for all.
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The failure to cut Ofsted budgets is probably because governments haven't a clue how to monitor educational standards, and daren't cut the budget because they've no idea what the consequences may be: they're frozen into inaction by their incompetence.
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