Aquinas College Inspection Report

[Dave]

If it's true that most Ofsted inspectors are not qualified teachers (and I have no reason to doubt it), then it just confirms what we already know - that the present government, just like the last one, regards education professionals with something close to contempt.  So they think bringing in people who don't know anything about education to inspect it is a good idea. Not to mention allowing unqualified people to teach in Free Schools and Academies.

Coming soon: driving tests conducted by people who can't drive.   

[My login is Henrietta]

I think we've established elsewhere that OFSTED needs to buy a dictionary.

Interesting piece on the radio the other day saying that many (the person made the comment that "none") of the OFSTED inspectors are actually qualified teachers or have worked in schools. It would be interesting to know what sort of training is given before they are let loose on the schools.

Durr! Sorry, just noticed the typo. Should be "not many ........of the OFSTED inspectors are actually qualified teachers"

[Miss C]

I think it would be great if more of our Headteachers trained to be additional inspectors and did a number of inspections each year. It can only benefit the school to know exactly what OFSTED are looking for, plus they must carry more credibility than some of the crusty HMIs who either have never darkened the door of a classroom since leaving school themselves or have been retired for 20 years and have a lack of understanding re how things have changed.

[Dave]

So you can earn back your fee in just three days - not a bad return on investment, if you can stand working for Ofsted!  Although the £1,000 fee is just for college inspections - it costs £2,500 to train to be an additional schools inspector. 

[Water Rat]

On the downside it costs £1000 plus VAT to undertake the training as an additional OFSTED inspector - on the plus side you get paid £325 per day you are part of an inspection team.

[My login is Henrietta]

My point is simply that at the last inspection the college's results were deemed to be 'outstanding', but since then Ofsted say they have improved.    So where they are at now should logically be better than 'outstanding', not worse!

I think we've established elsewhere that OFSTED needs to buy a dictionary.

Interesting piece on the radio the other day saying that many (the person made the comment that "none") of the OFSTED inspectors are actually qualified teachers or have worked in schools. It would be interesting to know what sort of training is given before they are let loose on the schools.

[Dave]

My point is simply that at the last inspection the college's results were deemed to be 'outstanding', but since then Ofsted say they have improved.    So where they are at now should logically be better than 'outstanding', not worse!

[Bowden Guy]

Surely, it depends on where the results have improved "from" and where they are "at" now?

[Dave]

So 'Students’ results in examinations have improved since the last inspection, especially in the last two years', but they've been downgraded!  I think this tells us more about Ofsted playing games and moving the goalposts than it does about Aquinas . 

[Bowden Guy]

Ofsted has just published its inspection report for Aquinas College. They have been downgraded from "Outstanding" to "Good"

http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/filedownloading/?id=2281597&type=1&refer=0