Wednesday 31 March 2010

Ofsted Fails Top Class Schools


When I'm perusing the MoD's website, which I do on a very regular basis, I often wonder how many other government departments are so incompetent.

No less than Ed Balls' department has hit the bright lights for scoring an own goal. Ofsted have 'failed' dozens of the best schools in Britain, including Shrewsbury, Kings College and Christ's Hospital. Christ's hospital last year recorded its best ever GCSE results, with 80% of its students gaining As or A*s. 100% of its A-level candidates passed with 33% achieving three or more grade As.

A total of 74 schools in England were issued with notices by the Department for Children, Schools and Families, requiring them to make urgent changes. This compares to just 23 in 2007 and 34 in 2008.

Inspection reports reveal that a number of schools issued with notices had allowed staff to start work before the results of CRB checks had been obtained - a breech of child protection rules.

However, in other cases, fee-paying schools which were found to provide a high standard of education were penalised for more 'trivial' concerns.

*School cooks have not been formally trained in child protection.

*Volunteers have not been CRB checked, even though this is not a requirement for state schools.

*The school has carried out all necessary CRB checks but the information has been stored separately rather than on 'a single central record'.

*'Behaviour management', while exemplary, was not explicitly stated in the school policy.

*Pupils and parents had not been supplied with details about how to complain to Ofsted about the school.

*There was low water pressure in a shower in one boarding house.

*Parents were not made aware that they can request sight of a copy of the school's plan to meet the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act 2002.

*Gap students helping out at the school have not received formal child protection training.

*Children have 'not been taught how to play appropriately' because at break and lunchtimes they "often run around the small area shouting and letting off steam".

Private schools are now inspected more regularly than state schools.

Is it any wonder good teachers are leaving the profession in droves?

Gone are the days when the inspectors inspected teaching systems and standards. In schools which excel educationally, the jobsworths concentrate on the administration. We're well down the road towards a compliant education system, whether it be public or private. If you require more proof read this.


4 comments:

banned said...

"the jobsworths concentrate on the administration"; It's worse than that SR, the marxists are using the administration to harass private education, making life intolerable in the name of 'fairness' while many members of their own establishment use that same private sector education to advance the interest of their own children, hypocrites.

subrosa said...

That's very true banned, I know that from my own experience and I'm sure it's getting worse since those days.

Tony_E said...

This is why many of us who work in schools are desperate to see the back of this government.

It's not that they are missing the point, it's that they know and don't care: educational standards are not important, spite and class warfare is.

The next government must rebuild ofsted as a priority. It must also go back to a system where there is a proper core curriculum rather tanthe muddled nonsense we have now (especially in England, I can't say for Scotland).

subrosa said...

Good to hear from the coal face Tony. In Scotland here we have a new system starting in August. The Curriculum for Excellence. Some say it's much better than what's gone on before.

I'd like schools to go back to basic teaching and ensure all children can read and write before they go into secondary school. That's far more important than all the other 'social' classes they receive nowadays.

Related Posts with Thumbnails