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Three inspections in a week: We need more compassion

Inspection updates
There is much anger that Ofsted insisted on business as usual last term as the pandemic took hold once again. We need to see a more compassionate inspectorate this term and beyond, says Dr Sam Parrett

As my deputy CEO said to me last week: “No headteacher ever looks forward to getting ‘the Ofsted call’.”

The anxiety-inducing prospect of HM Inspectorate turning up at the school gates in less than 24 hours is enough to give any school leader a sleepless night.

Such fears have been amplified with Amanda Spielman’s tough line on the continuation of inspections as we have struggled with the on-going impact of Covid-19. There has been much debate about Ofsted’s stance, particularly with the emergence of omicron variant.

So, it was with some trepidation that last term I found myself thrust into a triple Ofsted experience – from three very different perspectives.

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