In a seven-part series, teacher and school leader Dave Anderson considers how schools can be a key driver for social justice and how we can make our education system more equitable. In the final part, he tackles our school accountability system and the dreaded ‘O’…


SecEd series: A school system that drives social justice


Ofsted. What emotions does the word stir within you? Fear, perhaps? Anger, nervousness, anxiety, a deep-seated hatred or maybe a quick burst of adrenaline?

In my 25 years of teaching I have seen and felt all of these emotions and I have watched as colleagues have been pushed into high states of stress and fatigue, in some cases leaving the profession altogether.

Accountability is needed to maintain high standards and to ensure value for money for the tax-payer. But can Ofsted actually claim to do that? The number of children in good or outstanding schools in England has risen from 66 to 85 per cent between 2010 and 2019 (Ofsted, 2019). That apparent improvement in standards may or may not be as a result of Ofsted inspection.

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