Digging around in the undergrowth of schools reform in England Warwick Mansell's news and analysis site
DfE use of “expert groups” and Ofsted: a sketch of recent events in initial teacher education policy, and questions
Ofsted unable to back up its DfE-referenced statement on teacher education with any numerical information
Ofsted report on beleaguered academy leaves sources feeling trust running it, set up by former minister, has escaped accountability
Teachers warned Ofsted of “culture of fear” at Brampton Manor Academy – but the inspectorate appears to have ignored them
Teachers’ strike at Pimlico Academy may be called off, as school accepts case for staff governor
Ofsted: academies not teaching a national curriculum subject will not necessarily have it disclosed in inspection reports
Ofsted plays down any problem around conflicts of interest involving school leaders who also inspect
The headteacher and the strange case of the Ofsted “ambassadors”
Academy which allegedly sought to block local authority from fully probing its safeguarding processes retains Ofsted “outstanding” rating
Charitable trust refusing to grant academy chain access to school site, in forced academisation clash loaded with controversies
Ofsted training materials, getting into the detail of cognitive load theory, draw scepticism
Free school saw parents “encouraged to home-educate” their children, inspectors conclude as they fail it
Harris Federation wants its schools to follow Ofsted’s lead and ditch two-year Key Stage 3 – but only where “budget restraints” allow
Ofsted “inadequate” verdict on secondary modern over qualification entries likely to intensify debate over inspectorate’s crackdown on results “gaming”
New figures highlight DfE failing to intervene quickly in academies, despite saying it wants this for non-academies
Academies dominate list of schools benefiting from quick return inspections after being rated “inadequate” by Ofsted
Is Labour moving in the right direction by replacing Ofsted with inspections triggered by parental, teacher and governor concerns?
Why is Ofsted using the term “cultural capital”, given that its definition seems to add so little meaning in the new inspection framework?
Primary school with six headteachers in recent years, and which went years under now-collapsed academy trust without inspection, quickly adjudged “good” by inspectors following takeover
Claims of bias in inspection system as Education Uncovered reveals how the past records of hundreds of academies mean they have avoided Ofsted for at least five years
Ofsted inspects primary academy, but then immediately relegates its report to obscure section of its website, as it joins new trust and is therefore a “new school”
Can an Ofsted verdict really be as robust as this inspection report implies?
Ofsted “redesigning” its survey of initial teacher education, following criticism
Pupils being taken out of school to home educate during GCSE years? Ofsted should be interviewing their parents
Nearly a quarter of teachers have experienced their schools “off-rolling” pupils, Ofsted survey finds
Ofsted now won’t name members of its new subject advisory groups until their work has finished
High-profile traditionalist names added to Ofsted advisory group on teacher education
Ofsted opts to keep content of its subject advisory group discussions secret
“Shameful” Ofsted froze inspectors out of framework consultation, union claimed
Ofsted: a learning organisation?
How does he find the time? £125k-a-year academy chief executive currently serving in five advisory roles to government and its associated bodies, plus at least six boards
SEND parents say Ofsted’s new inspection framework needs to make inclusion its top priority
School in minister’s academy trust fails Ofsted inspection
Ofsted criticised for speaking at expensive conferences discussing its new inspection framework
Fresh questions likely over AET’s record after three of its schools fail inspections
Mystery of departing pupil numbers at school lavishly praised by Ofsted
Another Inspiration Trust primary said to be facing Ofsted inspection pressure
Ofsted fails school which academy trust helps run. Trust now running the school
Will Ofsted’s new inspection framework really lead schools to focus less on test and exam data?
Rolling news blog, week of January 14th
Seven thoughts on Ofsted’s curriculum thinking
Will schools be judged based on Ofsted’s interpretation of cognitive science research? Training materials hint at an answer
Rolling news blog, week of December 3rd
Ofsted held no selection process for recruitment to influential curriculum advisory group, FOI confirms
Chief inspector to speak at lobby group’s conference on “knowledge curriculum”
Hoorah for Ofsted’s statement on accountability. And yet…
Governor of school visited by Ofsted for curriculum research expresses concerns about its methodology
Ofsted previews curriculum study findings
School which academised in face of campaign receives “requires improvement” Ofsted verdict, despite CEO’s 12 per cent+ pay rise
Ofsted will not disclose number of complaints received about “Meet me at McDonald's” school
The major academy chain, its CEO and a handful of its schools’ struggles with super-high staff turnover
Sixty-three corrections in Ofsted report which is forcing academisation on a seemingly unwilling community
Minister’s academy gained “good” Ofsted rating despite large shrinkage in GCSE pupil numbers
“Second-look” Ofsted visit came after official intervention, background notes show
Minister’s school escaped Ofsted-inadequate rating despite some of England’s lowest test results
Wellsway: the background
Alternative provision slipping through the regulatory net: a shocking game of bureaucratic pass-the-parcel
Exclusive: Multi-academy trust’s alternative provision service “operating unregistered for years”
Ofsted highlights research which did not back synthetic phonics, in support of its position backing synthetic phonics
Ofsted asks for parental comments…by yesterday
Government moving to academise schools even before failing inspection reports published
Number of schools failing an Ofsted but with no academy sponsor lined up growing
Transfer date for academy chain’s schools still unknown