Does anyone else find it annoying that HMIs swan into your school, tell you all that’s wrong with it, tell you to fix it, but are under no obligation to tell you how to fix it? If we behaved like that about kids’ work, the HMIE would have us for breakfast!

Posted by ScotSEN

Yep, don’t do as I do - do as I say!

Posted by Pete Sake

Who “inspects” HMIE to make sure they’re up to scratch? Most of them haven’t taught for years!

Posted by mybabe

HMIs do a difficult job. Their role is to inspect and report, ours is to act on their reports. They probably could put it right where necessary but it’s not their job to do that ... it’s yours and mine.

They are accountable to the Scottish Government and then us as the electorate. They have robust complaints procedures as well.

Posted by Dominie

HMI do follow clear parameters and are trained to do so. If they were chummy in school, then they would be accused of being two-faced when they delivered a negative report. I believe they are now more likely to share good practice in schools, but let’s not forget, it is for teachers as professionals to look for good practice rather than have it supplied “on a plate”.

Posted by Christopher Curtis

Victoria (Australia) doesn’t have inspectors of any sort. It hasn’t had them for almost 30 years. I began teaching in 2007. I never had an inspection in my classroom. Nor had anyone else in any school I have taught in. When there were inspectors, if one entered a classroom, the teachers in the school would walk out. I don’t think other states have them either, yet Australia is in the top 10 countries in reading, maths and science, according to the OECD.

Posted by subman68

In my five years worth of teaching, all I can say is there needs to be a hell of a lot more checking up. Last year I was in a department with two teachers that refused to take Higher classes. Why? The courses had changed and they were not up to date ... These same teachers laugh at the idea of HMIE and get angry and state that they are good teachers.

More inspections please and let’s get shot of people that refuse to give value for money.

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