Commenting on the launch of Ofsted’s The Big Listen consultation,
Dr Patrick Roach, General Secretary of NASUWT – The
Teachers’ Union, said:
“For too long Ofsted has been part of the problem of teacher
demoralisation, stress and wastage. The new Chief Inspector has
the opportunity to become part of the solution if he is willing
not only to listen but also to act to support the work of schools
in providing the high quality education that children deserve.
“Nothing is more important to children’s education than the work
of teachers in the classroom.
“But in our recent National Teacher Poll, Ofsted and the
associated pressures of inspection were cited as the number one
drivers of excessive workload for classroom teachers. It should
never have come to this. Mountains of bureaucracy and unfair
criticism of schools do nothing to raise standards for pupils.
“Skyrocketing workloads and work-related stress have catapulted
the profession into a teacher recruitment and retention crisis
which is damaging children’s education.
“Our hardworking and dedicated teachers deserve more than fine
words from the Chief Inspector. They deserve better support and a
better deal.”
Notes to Editors
NASUWT’s National Teacher Poll, carried out in January 2024,
surveyed almost 7000 teachers.
71% of teachers surveyed stated that their workload increased in
the last year, and 60% of those surveyed cited Ofsted as the top
driver of excessive workload. Many talked about a “fear of
Ofsted.”
65% of teachers surveyed had raised workload concerns with their
line managers or headteachers, but only 28% felt that their
schools had put effective measures in place to deal with
excessive workload.
Here are just some of the comments teachers made about Ofsted as
a workload driver during the poll:
“OFSTED inspection preparation, generating trails of evidence
to satisfy the ever shifting foci and criteria. The pressures of
having to strive to help children achieve inflated predictions
with ever decrease funds to put resources in place that would
make the difference. Hours of work, I feel increasingly desperate
and exhausted. It’s ever more difficult to maintain standards
when colleagues around you leave the profession.”
“Upcoming OFSTED; having things recorded “just in case”
someone asks to look at it; poor budget resulting in having to
hunt for alternative or create resources.”
“New headteacher driving change to fit Ofsted agenda.”
“They’re expecting OFSTED, so we’re having to jump through
hoops via ‘CPD’.”
“OFSTED is the main pressure point. Need for assessments,
feedback, poor planning from SLT.”
“Presumptions about what Ofsted might want to see drive many
non-negotiables that have to be evidenced in every lesson.”
