Reading Richard House and Richard Brinton's piece on Ofsted’s failings (Fury at Ofsted’s treatment of region’s Steiner schools, Stroud News and Journal, July 10), I found myself nodding so vigorously I nearly put my neck out.
I profess no knowledge of Wynstones School’s particular circumstances, but Ofsted’s failings have been glaringly obvious for many years.
Although in the main their inspections concentrate overmuch on data they can be inconsistent – some far more exhaustive than others.
This may well be down to cuts and lack of resources, but a narrow, test result-obsessed mindset is their common denominator. I would contend that the Steiner approach – giving children a rounded, holistic education – is so far removed from Ofsted’s fixed criteria that its methods are more than likely to find disfavour. I would ask, without too much irony, who inspects the inspectors?
So I agree, in its present form Ofsted is not fit for its purpose. And, while I’m heartened that there are moves to make the curriculum for early years education a little less structured and a little more creative, how much better it would be if we followed the Scandinavian model and introduced creative, interest-led learning throughout Key Stage One.
Paul Halas
Stroud
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