
Here are the data the Herald refers to:
Years since last inspection | Number of schools |
Five to seven years | 423 |
Eight to ten years | 558 |
Ten years and more | 704 |
There are 2 500 schools in Scotland so 28% have not been inspected for 10 years or more.
As with NHS England’s statistics, those for English school inspections have been played with to improve their appearance. Under Michael Gove, because the understaffed inspectors at Ofsted could not cope, he decided that any rated ‘outstanding’ were then exempt from further inspection unless their exam pass levels fell dramatically or parent groups complained.
86% were rated outstanding!
House of Commons briefing paper CBP 07091
That’s the way to do it!

My own experience of School Inspections is that they are only as good as the person doing the inspections.
Some of the inspectors I had experience of in over 30 years in schools should not have been in a position to judge others when they were clearly incompetent .
Failings in departments / individuals went unremarked whereas if management covered all the ”tick box” items identified by the inspectorate as the mark of a ‘good’ school then the reports were favourable .
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I’ve tried to resist the temptation, but it’s too much.
I’ve got to say it…
What a pity!
Seriously, it does sound as if the system could do with some sort of overhaul. But one thing at a time, eh?
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