OFSTED inspections don’t represent how good a school is because teachers get "too much notice", Bracknell readers say.

The education watchdog has received a lot of backlash regarding "brutal" inspections, following the death of Berkshire headteacher Ruth Perry.

Ruth Perry died in January after an Ofsted report found Caversham Primary School in Reading – where Ms Perry was headteacher – to be “good” in every category apart from leadership and management, where it was judged to be “inadequate”.

We asked Bracknell News readers if they think Ofsted inspections give an accurate representation of a 'good' school.

The overwhelming response was 'no' with readers giving opinions as to why Ofsted inspections do not accurately represent a school.

Several readers said the inspections aren’t accurate as “everyone knows when it’s happening”.

Simon Bennison said: "No because they give the schools too much warning. If they turned up unannounced then it would be accurate."

Brian Tea agreed: "No. Just as an MOT certificate is no guarantee of roadworthiness as it is only accurate at the time of testing an OFSTED report is only accurate on that one day and on those items the inspector measured at that particular time.

"In my honest opinion, there needs to be monitoring over the whole school year for any rating have any real value."

Ofsted inspections are a “brutal process” and they need to change, the vice-president of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) has said.

Mick Uprichard questioned the process: "The problem appears to be what are they measuring? If this doesn’t include a comprehensive view of what teachers are actually teaching it’s waste of time."

Education Secretary, Gillian Keegan, is said to be “considering urgent actions” to change the way school inspections operate after Ruth Perry's death. 

The Education Secretary said she is working with Ofsted to "improve the accountability system, including inspection" with some changes being made "immediately", while others will take longer.

“School accountability, including inspection, has a vital role to play in our education system. For the sake of children, teachers, school leaders and parents, it’s essential we get these changes right", Gillian Keegan added.