Few would doubt that the curriculum is an essential part of school life. Without this wealth of human knowledge, a building full of...

As I reflect on a recent short inspection of a good school, I recall how intensive these days can be. Reaching an accurate judgement on...

Workload is still a major concern for teachers across the country. This was confirmed once again when I recently tweeted on the subject....

As we head towards autumn I hope you have all managed to get some rest and relaxation over the summer and are feeling refreshed for the...

Hopefully, those of you who keep in touch with my updates here and my Twitter activity will have noticed that one of my main...

Earlier this month, we launched a consultation on changes to the way we carry out our short inspections of good schools. Your views on...

On a one-day early years inspection I have to gather a lot of evidence. This helps me to reach an accurate rating at the end of the day –...

Our inspectors often encounter myths about inspection. These make our work harder and impact on those we inspect. So we’ve launched a...

Funding for apprenticeships is changing. An apprenticeship levy of 0.5% is being applied on wage bills, but is offset by a government...

It has come to my attention recently that there is some misunderstanding around the differences in the prior attainment bandings used in...

Watching inspections and checking that the process is working well is part of my role as a Senior HMI. I shadow inspections of our new...

The culmination of two years’ hard work for those about to take GCSEs, including my own son, is soon to be upon us. Once the exams are...

On a four-day further education and skills inspection there’s a lot of evidence to collect and many people to speak with when reaching an...

Periodically at Ofsted I become aware of misconceptions about inspection processes; what we look at and what people think is required by...

Let me begin by wishing you all a very happy New Year. I hope you had the opportunity to relax and recharge your batteries over the...

As the term winds down and people start to plan for the Christmas period, I’d like to thank all our readers of this blog for their...

As we come towards the end of the autumn term it is worth reflecting on the revisions to the government’s Keeping children safe in...

With children under the age of five being cared for and taught in a range of different settings, often with slightly differing regulatory...

As you will all know, some of the myths about what Ofsted wants still persist in many schools among teachers, senior leaders and...

At Ofsted we’re very aware of all the changes taking place in the sector and appreciate that there are challenges ahead. I know Area...