Ofsted U-turns on in-person school visits after facing revolt from inspectors
Ofsted has U-turned on plans to conduct in-person school visits this term, after facing a revolt from inspectors who said it was "simply unacceptable" for them to go ahead.
The schools watchdog said on Tuesday night that it has "reviewed" plans for the inspections to go ahead as planned in light of advice from the Government to "act as if you have the virus".
"We have decided that all planned inspection activity will be undertaken remotely until after the February half term," a spokesman said.
"We have sought regular advice from Public Health England and we remain satisfied that our planned on-site activity would be safe and appropriate under current restrictions.
"However, the new government messages and the practical challenges of deploying inspectors across England have prompted this change."
Inspections had been due to begin next week on schools which have previously been judged either “inadequate”, the lowest possible grade, or “requires improvement”.
The decision that inspections will resume was made last month, before a new national lockdown was announced. It had already prompted a backlash among teacher unions as well as local council chiefs who have urged Ofsted to reconsider.
Ofsted members of FDA, the union for civil servants, voted in favour of inspections being suspended during the current lockdown. Duncan Woodhead, FDA national officer for Ofsted, urged the chief inspector to suspend route visits “as a matter of urgency”.
He said that the first priority is the safety and wellbeing of “children and young people, as well as sector staff”. He went on: “The Secretary of State for Health has made clear that we are at the worst point in this pandemic and has urged everyone to act like they have the virus.
“In these circumstances, it is simply unacceptable for Ofsted to still be carrying out regular site visits.” He said that as well as the risks posed to inspectors undertaking the visits, there are also risks for students and school staff, adding that inspections are a “burden school leaders, already working in incredibly difficult circumstances, could well do without”.
Earlier this month, Gavin Williamson gave Ofsted the power to inspect remote education, as he tells parents to report schools if they are not giving children enough work during lockdown.
The Education Secretary said that the schools watchdog will investigate if it is concerned that the quality of remote learning that teachers are providing is not up to scratch.
He stipulated that school children should receive between three and five hours of teaching a day, depending on their age, but it would be left up to schools to decide how these teaching hours were spent.
Ofsted said that remote inspections will take place from January 25, focussing on the quality of remote education children will receive.
In-person inspections will take place where there are "immediate concerns" about safeguarding, a school's leadership or a failure to provide education.
