BLAME TEACHERS

FOR THE HORROR THAT IS OFSTED

The recent tragic suicide of a Head highlights the vast and sinister power Ofsted exerts, over millions of lives. Like so much that now controls us, this quango is a nightmarish brew of managerialism, groupthink, arrogance and unaccountability - cloaked in pious claptrap about raising standards and 'putting the child first'. 

By its very nature, the organisation is based on cultivating fear. It's been hugely damaging, discouraging independent thought amongst teachers and pupils, thus devaluing education itself. Its achievements are almost entirely negative, whatever fake data are produced to show otherwise.

I've never worked in a more anxious environment than a school. I spent years negotiating and managing multi-billion pound gas-field purchases, yet the stress was nothing compared to the climate of fear tolerated in schools. 

Teachers and schools are often a febrile mix of gushing emotion, insecurity and stupidity. A perfect environment for the petty Ofsted tyrants, as the arbiters of 'good practice'. The only way to survive is to treat the whole inspection charade with the contempt it deserves. Some teachers do this, but most 'see the main chance' and play the game. 

So, as someone who spent many years teaching in a tough comprehensive - undergoing at least eight inspections (one putting us into special measures) - I lay the blame squarely on teachers, particularly those who work for Ofsted. 

I guess this sounds unsympathetic, even to the tragic victim mentioned. But teachers need to toughen up and take on these bullies, not least amongst those who are their actual colleagues. The collaboration and participation in utter nonsense, from allegedly intelligent people, is a sight to behold - the childishness depressing beyond words. 

When I started in 2005, the unquestioned command was: if an Ofsted inspector walks through your door, you have (at best) ten minutes to show significant and quantifiable learning. No concern for what was occurring at the time, it was a performative switch to 'traffic lights' and 'assessment for learning' stunts. 

We knew it was pointless, the pupils did - so did the inspector. There was an absurd mantra that 'teacher talk' was damaging. Pupils supposedly learned by doing, from 'the guide by the side, not the sage on the stage'. 

As a result, nincompoop teachers thrived, ignorant of anything much except how to brainwash pupils into behaving like performing seals. Such 'outstanding teachers' - given a gold star by Ofsted - always produced the worst results. 

This unarguable fact eventually led some Heads - my new one, after we went into special measures - to revert to 'chalk and talk', insisting pupils actually worked in lessons, learning things rather than displaying supposed 'skills'. There was little choice, given the hopeless quality and quantity of work in many pupils’ books.

To be fair, Ofsted have vaguely tried to reflect this change, only to be fought tooth and nail by many in the profession - often appallingly ill-educated - who prefer preening over praise for lessons wasted on group work or role-playing.   

As a parent, I want my Year 9 daughter taught by people who know and love their subject, who can enthuse and control a class, as shown in its quality of written work and knowledge of the subject. I want her to know things - not just how to do silly exercises pretending that she does, for the benefit of the teacher.

That's a long-game. It’s not something to be assessed by an Ofsted plod with a clipboard, ticking boxes, approving a clown teacher spouting anti-Brexit/pro-BLM/pro-Trans activism/apocalyptic warming indoctrination, with pupils self-assessing via smiley stamps that they've 'gained analytical skills’ and ‘evaluated the evidence’.