Can an understanding of the past help Ofsted find a better future?

Abstract

While never a loved organisation, Ofsted's reputation has perhaps never been so low. Amid a myriad of calls for reform or abolition, former HMI Adrian Lyons reflects on his 20 years of inspection with over 16 years employed by Ofsted as an HMI. He concludes that one of the biggest problems with Ofsted is its frequent change in policy, activity and direction. He argues that while an accountability measure created for the 1990s needs to change to reflect the contemporary landscape, a return to some of the things it did well in the past would actually be a positive move forward.