{"id":179490,"date":"2023-03-24T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-03-24T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/schoolsweek.co.uk\/?p=179490"},"modified":"2023-03-27T09:53:11","modified_gmt":"2023-03-27T08:53:11","slug":"ofsted-was-aware-of-gaming-school-inspection-alerts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/schoolsweek.co.uk\/ofsted-was-aware-of-gaming-school-inspection-alerts\/","title":{"rendered":"Ofsted was aware of ‘gaming’ school inspection alerts"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Ofsted stands accused of being \u201ccomplicit in gaming its own inspection system\u201d after admitting it was aware of schemes that give schools advance notice of visits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But it refuses to say if it has ever taken any action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Schools Week<\/em> investigation has uncovered evidence that schools have been able to predict inspections for at least a decade by monitoring web traffic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It exposes a loophole in a system that is built on the principle that schools should only be told about inspections at most the day before they happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robin Walker, the former schools minister and chair of the education committee, said such monitoring \u201crisks creating a two-tier system that dodges the need for constructive scrutiny of how schools are run\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ofsted activity tracked online<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We revealed this week how a website company developed an algorithm to track Ofsted activity online<\/a>, a move described as \u201chighly unethical\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the use of such practices is widespread and an open secret in schools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Walker said inspections were \u201cintended to create a level playing field between schools, regardless of their location or type\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Robin
Robin Walker MP<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUse of this technology clearly undermines that principle and is therefore not in the interests of children or the schools themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ofsted this week admitted it was \u201caware of these types of systems and companies\u201d. But it refused to say how long for, or whether it had ever taken any action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Colin Richards, a former senior inspector, warned that \u201cin saying nothing in public or doing nothing to prevent it in practice means it has been condoning ethical malpractice and has been complicit in gaming its own inspection system \u2013 and maybe still is\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Former Ofsted inspector and senior manager Frank Norris said he was \u201cunaware of this practice but I’m not surprised to see schools trying to poach a few more days\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe stakes have been raised to such a point that schools are concentrating too much on Ofsted readiness rather than just getting on with teaching.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He added that \u201cif Ofsted did know about it I suppose they are powerless to stop the practice\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBringing attention to it would probably have encouraged others to adopt the practice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
Revealed: ‘Unethical’ Ofsted ‘alerts’ tip off schools about inspections<\/a><\/blockquote>