Ofsted has been warned it is facing an “existential crisis”, having lost the confidence of the schools sector, with the vast majority of respondents to a survey saying that the inspectorate is not fit for purpose.
A significant number of respondents (nine in 10) also said that “simplistic” single-word grades should be scrapped and that inspections are not carried out in a way that is “consistent from place to place”.
Tes revealed earlier this year that former Ofsted inspectors Professor Colin Richards and Frank Norris created the Alternative Big Listen (ABL) to gather responses “to the questions Ofsted had not asked in its formal consultation on its future”.
Ofsted’s official Big Listen did not ask for people’s views on the use of single-word grades.
Of the 1,368 respondents to the Alternative Big Listen, 83 per cent also believe that there should be a “moratorium on routine inspections” until a review can take place.
Survey calls for ‘fundamental change’
“The findings from the ABL reveal Ofsted has lost very significant levels of trust and confidence from the schools sector,” Professor Richards said of the survey, which opened in May.
It suggests that “fundamental, not piecemeal, change is required to craft an inspection system fit for purpose in the second quarter of the 21st century,” he continued.
Ofsted carried out its Big Listen survey from March to June, which sought views from teachers, parents and children on the inspection system.
Other findings from the ABL were that 79 per cent of respondents do not believe that Ofsted inspections are “consistent across the same phases of education”, such as primary or secondary schools.
The survey revealed that 91 per cent of respondents think Ofsted is not “fit for purpose” and that the inspectorate should not use “simplistic one- or two-word judgments” to characterise the overall effectiveness of a school.
Almost three-quarters of respondents (73 per cent) do not think Ofsted is clear on how inspectors have considered pupils’ outcomes, their educational performance and the wider local context of the school - and how these have affected the overall grade the school receives.
The survey found that respondents were more divided on the clarity of Ofsted’s judgements, with 64 per cent agreeing that Ofsted “makes it clear how effective the school is at keeping children safe and protected from harm”.
The Alternative Big Listen launched amid concerns that the schools watchdog did not directly ask respondents to its Big Listen consultation about their views on single-word judgements, which have been central to calls for reform.
The Association of School and College Leaders said that the Big Listen “failed to recognise” the importance of seeking views on single-word judgements, and the NAHT school leaders’ union warned that the inspectorate still poses a “risk to life”.
However, Ofsted’s director of education, Lee Owston, told Tes earlier this year that the inspectorate will address single-word inspection judgements when it publishes the findings of its consultation in September.
Labour promises to scrap single-word judgements
The new Labour government has pledged to scrap single-word judgements, writing in its manifesto that it will replace them with a “new report-card system telling parents clearly how schools are performing”.
In a discussion paper published before the general election, ASCL said that the new report cards should be based on a “slim” set of standards that apply to all types of schools and trusts.
The ABL raises “serious issues” for new education secretary Bridget Phillipson, according to the survey’s creators.
The report’s conclusion adds: “It is clear that Ofsted is facing an existential crisis - whether to engage in piecemeal change, to be fundamentally reformed or to be replaced altogether. Our findings imply that the first of these is no longer a viable option.”
Mr Norris said: “Many believe that Ofsted has lost its way and is no longer a reliable source of information on the effectiveness of the schools it inspects.
“It is encouraging that the new government is committed to reform of the inspectorate. These findings indicate they are right to do so.”
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