Ofsted is being urged to share materials used by inspectors to help them assess how well schools are performing with all schools and trusts.
Both the Confederation of School Trusts (CST) and Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) have written to Ofsted today, calling for the “aide-memoirs” to be shared more widely.
This follows concerns that only some schools and trusts have had access to “privileged” information that could give them an advantage in inspections.
This would be unfair and undermine the watchdog’s credibility, leaders are warning.
CST deputy chief executive Steve Rollett said he has written to the inspectorate to call for these documents to be published after concerns were raised by members.
Posting on Twitter, Mr Rollett said: “Following concerns CST members have expressed about Ofsted’s subject aide memoirs being shared within the system, I have written to Ofsted to ask these are published.
“I understand Ofsted’s concern that without access to inspector training these documents might be misinterpreted but I think, on balance, publishing them is the right thing to do now.
“Firstly, having read them here they appear to be easy to understand with low risk of misunderstanding.
“Secondly, they reflect what’s in the research reports. So they are more about summary and emphasis and, given the research reports are quite lengthy, it is plausible people in schools will find them useful.
“Thirdly, that they are now circulating beyond the inspection workforce means those not able to view them will feel the current situation is unfair. And just the perception of that is problematic.”
Mr Rollett added that he did not think Ofsted’s reluctance to publish was down to some sort of conspiracy.
He added: “I think they’ve had genuine concerns about causing problems in the system. But I do think the balance of that position now has to shift and they should be published.”
Meanwhile, Geoff Barton, general secretary of ASCL, said: “We feel dismayed if there are materials being shared with some schools, with privileged insight into what inspectors might look at.”
The “whole principle” of inspections is “around transparency”, he added.
He said: “We’ve written to Amanda Spielman today to find out what actually is this additional information, has it been made public, and if not, how will equality be assured?”
There have been repeated calls on social media from school leaders to show subject aide memoirs to schools after examples of the documents were shared online.
The president of the NAHT school leaders’ union, Paul Gosling, has also called on Ofsted to share the documents with schools.
In a social media post, he said: “Ofsted I am seeing these popping up on Twitter. If you produce these I think, for fairness, they need to be made available to all schools immediately.”
@Ofstednews I am seeing these 👇🏻 popping up on Twitter. If you produce these I think, for fairness, they need to be made available to all schools immediately. @NAHTnews pic.twitter.com/1egCc2xB9a
- Dr Paul Gosling (@paulgosling1968) October 3, 2022
Responding to some of the calls for these documents to be published, Heather Fearn, who leads Ofsted’s curriculum unit, said on Twitter: “We’ve been asked about sharing our training materials. The messages in our inspector training are from our published research reviews and summarised in short subject videos.”
She added: “The issue is that materials written to train inspectors are created to support the specific purpose - the activity of inspection. Driving inspection-based approaches in schools is also a drawback.”
However, this stance has been criticised by multi-academy trust leader Jonny Uttley.
The chief executive of The Education Alliance Multi Academy Trust warned that this would become a “huge credibility issue” for Ofsted if it is not addressed because it could advantage schools and trusts with serving inspectors who have access to the materials.
Ofsted has been approached for a comment.
Ofsted’s current Education Inspection Framework, which was launched in September 2019, places an increased emphasis on the curriculum as part of a quality of education judgement it gives schools.
