In October 2014 Ofsted issued a list of things that its inspectors don’t want to see in classrooms – as part of an effort to bust some of the myths surrounding make-or-break school inspections. Among the 15 bullet points was a blunt statement that “Ofsted does not award a grade for the quality of teaching for any individual lessons visited and it does not grade individual lessons.” This is a myth that has circulated for years despite efforts from Ofsted’s chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw to dispel it.
The document also says “Ofsted does not expect to see unnecessary or extensive written dialogue between teachers and pupils in exercise books and folders,” which may reduce the extra time teachers in England are said to spend on marking compared with other countries. Teachers should be trusted to exercise their professional judgement.
