Union leaders have raised concern about Ofsted’s decision to tell schools this Friday that they will be inspected the following Monday.
The inspectorate does not normally start inspections on Mondays but is planning to do so next week to avoid the planned two-day national teacher strike being held by the NEU teaching union.
His Majesty’s Inspectors have been told to contact schools affected this Friday.
Tes understands that they have been asked to make clear that Ofsted does not expect staff to do any additional work to prepare for the inspection over the weekend.
But union leaders say they are worried about the impact on staff of being told they will be inspected ahead of the weekend.
James Bowen, director of policy at the NAHT school leaders’ union, said: “We are certainly concerned about the impact on the wellbeing of school leaders and their staff if they receive notification on a Friday of an inspection for the following Monday.
“NAHT believes it would be far better to simply suspend inspections during weeks where industrial action is taking place.”
Tom Middlehurst, curriculum, assessment and inspection specialist at the Association of School and College Leaders, said the union welcomed Ofsted not inspecting on strike days.
However, he added: “But it remains our view that there should be no inspections at all during strike weeks. School and college leaders must be allowed the time and space to manage the implications of industrial action without the additional pressure of an inspection that could be done another time and under more usual circumstances.
“Ofsted states that they do not require headteachers to do additional work specifically for the inspection, including over the weekend. But this totally ignores the reality of the workload involved in preparing for Ofsted and two days of strike action in the same week. It is yet another example of the unfair burden placed on school and college leaders.”
The NEU is scheduled to hold a two-day national strike over pay on Wednesday 15 and Thursday 16 March next week, having held three days of regional teacher strikes last week.
If it goes ahead, this would only leave Ofsted with Monday and Tuesday as consecutive days on which inspection can go ahead.
An Ofsted spokesperson said: “To avoid the two-day national strike on Wednesday 15 and Thursday 16 March, we will notify schools on Friday 10 March for inspections taking place on Monday 13 and Tuesday 14 March. You can find our full guidance on how we are planning inspections to avoid strike action here.”
The inspectorate’s guidance on inspecting during the strike says: “We also have our usual deferral policy in place. Any deferral requests made as a result of strike action will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
“Our inspections of social care, further education and skills and early years providers will continue as planned.”
