Should schools be inspected?
Some people say inspections help keep school standards high.
Education is vital, so it’s important that all schools are as good as they can be. In the UK, all schools are inspected to check that they are safe and provide a good education. Organisations such as Ofsted send an independent inspector to observe what is going on. You might have seen an inspector sitting in your class or talking to pupils and teachers. They gather information over a couple of days, looking at the quality of teaching and the environment inside and outside the classroom. This means making sure that all children feel supported in their learning and are safe from bullying. However, some people argue that inspections put too much pressure on teachers and are not the best way to make sure a school is good. What do you think? Should schools be inspected?
Yes – inspections help teachers and pupils
Inspections make sure that children get the best education possible. Inspectors are independent from the school and the teachers they are observing. This means they can give a fair assessment of the school’s quality. Also, they are experts who can make useful suggestions for how schools could improve. They also highlight things that a school is doing well. Inspections are like exams for teachers – the staff may not look forward to them but they are a useful way to make sure that teachers are teaching well. Holding regular inspections gives school leaders and teachers a clear picture of what, if anything, could be improved. Having external experts come in to observe helps schools and staff focus on their performance.
No – it doesn’t give a fair picture
All schools face different problems so it’s unfair to judge them all by the same standards. For example, some schools choose their pupils, perhaps only taking those that pass a high grade in certain subjects, whereas others take all the students who live nearby. Inspections put a lot of pressure on teachers, who are already busy and stressed. A survey of teachers released last year showed that just 1% of teachers felt their workload was manageable. Inspections usually last two days and happen every few years, so they don’t give an accurate picture. It would be better if schools inspected themselves more often, using set guidelines, like they do Denmark and Japan. This would be a fairer way to keep standards high.