Councils have called on Ofsted not to resume inspections of schools this month to avoid adding a burden on to already “exhausted” school leaders and staff.
The Local Government Association has said Ofsted should not carry out inspections of schools either in person or remotely until after the February half-term break at the earliest.
The watchdog is set to start a programme of monitoring inspections of schools that are rated as “requires improvement” or “inadequate” from 18 January.
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Judith Blake (pictured), chair of the Local Government Association’s Children and Young People’s Board, said: “Schools and councils need to focus on providing education during the pandemic, without any unnecessary distractions.
“This is why we are urging Ofsted to postpone the resumption of monitoring inspections for schools, either in-person or virtual, until after February half-term at the earliest.
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“Clearly there will always be a need for inspection where serious issues are identified, but all routine inspection activity was suspended during the last national lockdown, and this should be repeated during this latest lockdown to avoid adding to the considerable burden of school leaders and staff who are already exhausted due to the ongoing impact of the pandemic.”
Ofsted’s full graded inspections have been delayed until the summer term but it is set to resume monitoring inspections in 10 days’ time.
In guidance published yesterday, the Department for Education said: “As announced in December, while Ofsted’s routine graded inspections remain suspended, inspectors will, during the spring term, conduct monitoring inspections of schools most in need of challenge and support - those previously judged to be providing an ‘inadequate’ education and some previously judged to ‘require improvement’.
“Those inspections will provide assurance that pupils in those schools are receiving the best possible education - whether through classroom teaching or remote education. The Department is discussing how these inspections will be implemented with Her Majesty’s chief inspector.”
