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Ofsted asks parents to rate schools on new website | Ofsted asks parents to rate schools on new website |
(40 minutes later) | |
By Hannah Richardson BBC News education reporter | By Hannah Richardson BBC News education reporter |
Parents are to be encouraged to rate their children's schools on the Ofsted website. | Parents are to be encouraged to rate their children's schools on the Ofsted website. |
England's chief inspector Christine Gilbert said where concerns were raised extra inspections would follow. | England's chief inspector Christine Gilbert said where concerns were raised extra inspections would follow. |
The Nasuwt teaching union said such a system would trivialise public accountability and the work of schools. | The Nasuwt teaching union said such a system would trivialise public accountability and the work of schools. |
The plans come in a shake-up of school inspections in England, which will be streamlined and refocused on struggling schools. | The plans come in a shake-up of school inspections in England, which will be streamlined and refocused on struggling schools. |
The aim is to bring them in line with the coalition government's education policy. A consultation document on the plans is being launched on Monday. | The aim is to bring them in line with the coalition government's education policy. A consultation document on the plans is being launched on Monday. |
But ministers have already announced changes to the inspection regime with a greater focus on schools in difficulty so that improvements are speeded up. | But ministers have already announced changes to the inspection regime with a greater focus on schools in difficulty so that improvements are speeded up. |
They have also ended routine inspections for outstanding schools, with inspections only resuming if a serious issue about a school is raised. | They have also ended routine inspections for outstanding schools, with inspections only resuming if a serious issue about a school is raised. |
Ofsted chief inspector Christine Gilbert said: "From September we will be introducing a website where parents can tell us what they think about their school. | Ofsted chief inspector Christine Gilbert said: "From September we will be introducing a website where parents can tell us what they think about their school. |
"If they're telling us things that really worry us, even if our assessments are fine, we will go in and inspect." | "If they're telling us things that really worry us, even if our assessments are fine, we will go in and inspect." |
Parents at all schools would be able to use the website but it might be particularly useful for triggering inspections at outstanding schools. | Parents at all schools would be able to use the website but it might be particularly useful for triggering inspections at outstanding schools. |
'Impressionistic tool' | 'Impressionistic tool' |
The Ofsted survey would be linked to individual school pages on the organisation's website, and would feature a set of 10 questions related to teaching quality, achievement, behaviour and school leadership, Ms Gilbert said. | The Ofsted survey would be linked to individual school pages on the organisation's website, and would feature a set of 10 questions related to teaching quality, achievement, behaviour and school leadership, Ms Gilbert said. |
Parents would be able to respond anonymously or give their name, but they would only need an e-mail address to log their opinions. | Parents would be able to respond anonymously or give their name, but they would only need an e-mail address to log their opinions. |
The e-mailed response would automatically identify which school the parent was contacting Ofsted about. | The e-mailed response would automatically identify which school the parent was contacting Ofsted about. |
Ms Gilbert said planning was in the early stages but that it was unlikely submissions would be made public or that free text would be allowed. | Ms Gilbert said planning was in the early stages but that it was unlikely submissions would be made public or that free text would be allowed. |
She said Ofsted had been working for some time on ways to feed parents' views on schools more easily into the inspection process. | She said Ofsted had been working for some time on ways to feed parents' views on schools more easily into the inspection process. |
'Internet gossip' | 'Internet gossip' |
These could be valuable in highlighting issues before they became a problem, she said. | These could be valuable in highlighting issues before they became a problem, she said. |
Recalling an unnamed school in special measures, she said: "It was three years before the problems in the school started to show. | Recalling an unnamed school in special measures, she said: "It was three years before the problems in the school started to show. |
"If people were picking up the views of the parents than it would have been picked up earlier." | "If people were picking up the views of the parents than it would have been picked up earlier." |
However, she also acknowledged that the results could easily be skewed either in favour of the school or against it by groups of parents. | However, she also acknowledged that the results could easily be skewed either in favour of the school or against it by groups of parents. |
Ms Gilbert said: "It's really to give them a sense of what's happening in a school - this is not a scientific model, it's an impressionistic tool, it's just another piece of information." | Ms Gilbert said: "It's really to give them a sense of what's happening in a school - this is not a scientific model, it's an impressionistic tool, it's just another piece of information." |
Chris Keates, general secretary of the Nasuwt teachers' union, said: "To hold schools to account on the basis of chatroom and internet gossip trivialises public accountability and the work of schools. | Chris Keates, general secretary of the Nasuwt teachers' union, said: "To hold schools to account on the basis of chatroom and internet gossip trivialises public accountability and the work of schools. |
"Such a system would be open to abuse and manipulation and would therefore be an inappropriate and unreliable mechanism for triggering something as serious as inspection. | "Such a system would be open to abuse and manipulation and would therefore be an inappropriate and unreliable mechanism for triggering something as serious as inspection. |
"The danger is that the inclusion of this suggestion in the consultation will detract from the serious debate needed about the fitness for purpose of the current inspection regime." | "The danger is that the inclusion of this suggestion in the consultation will detract from the serious debate needed about the fitness for purpose of the current inspection regime." |
Christine Blower, head of the National Union of Teachers, said parents were generally very supportive of their children's schools. | Christine Blower, head of the National Union of Teachers, said parents were generally very supportive of their children's schools. |
"What is important for parents is that they have a voice in schools and that their views are taken seriously. | "What is important for parents is that they have a voice in schools and that their views are taken seriously. |
"It's not clear therefore why parents, who may have quite legitimate questions to which they seek answers, would choose this route. | "It's not clear therefore why parents, who may have quite legitimate questions to which they seek answers, would choose this route. |
"Parents will not want to be involved in triggering early inspections. To offer such an opportunity is unnecessary." | "Parents will not want to be involved in triggering early inspections. To offer such an opportunity is unnecessary." |
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