Ofsted attacked for 'stressing out' schools

* Academics have attacked the inspection service Ofsted, saying that it leaves many schools so stressed that it takes them months to recover.

Members of a team researching school inspections since 1994, told MPs at Wednesday's educational sub-committee hearing, that schools and their teachers could take six months or more to recover from the stress of preparing for and undergoing week-long Ofsted inspections, which can make or break a school's reputation. The academics, Brian Fidler from Reading University and Janet Ouston and Peter Earley, both from the University of London's Institute of Education, also questioned the validity and reliability of some Ofsted inspection reports. Dr Earley also said that he would be very concerned if Ofsted chief Chris Woodhead really believed that university-based education research was not required because Ofsted already collected and collated data.

* Letters, page 15