Complaints against Ofsted are not transparently investigated

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debbie
Posts: 2596
Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2007 2:28 pm
Location: UK

Complaints against Ofsted are not transparently investigated

Post by debbie »

For many years I have been very concerned about the lack of mechanisms or processes for realistically and transparently holding those in authority to account.

I am currently awaiting the verdict of a serious complaint I have made about an Ofsted inspection and a subsequent Ofsted investigation into my complaint - so at the point of posting this link, I am at 'Step 3' of the Ofsted complaints procedure.

I drew attention to the unacceptability of the policy and procedure for complaints against Ofsted (as they are currently in-house and unaccountable) at the recent 'ResearchED' conference held in London (August 2014). This was filmed but, unfortunately, the people or person who edited the film chose to delete most of what I said. Significantly, however, I received a spontaneous applause from a large audience presumably because increasingly teachers are voicing their discontent with Ofsted and its various processes and practices.

Only this last week, a headteacher described the complaints made during and following an Ofsted inspection (the complaints being to no avail) - the headteacher noting that the complaint was inspected by the same company which was at the heart of the complaint - therefore in-house and unaccountable - totally lacking in transparency.

I have read this same issue of Ofsted investigating complaints about its own officers via blogs and articles in the media.

I have just discovered mention of this issue via the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) site. Here is the blurb referring to this issue:

http://www.naht.org.uk/welcome/news-and ... necessary/
"NAHT also believes that Ofsted should stop investigating complaints against itself and use an independent body to adjudicate these. Ofsted has taken steps in recent years to reduce transparency and make complaining harder. This does not befit a public body and these steps should be reversed.
I have much more to write about this issue based on personal experience, but I am awaiting the 'outcome' of my current complaint so now is not the time.

Please contact me at debbie@phonicsinternational.com if you have any information you would like to share with me regarding a complaint made against Ofsted, how it was conducted, and your experience and view of the complaints process.
Debbie Hepplewhite
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