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Ofsted reliability and consistency: Evidence-base 'far too thin'

The available evidence regarding inspection reliability and consistency is “far too thin” and Ofsted must do better, a leading researcher has said.
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John Jerrim, professor of education and social statistics at UCL Institute of Education and a research associate at FFT Education Datalab, said that in its 30-year history Ofsted has published very little on this key issue.

Prof Jerrim is currently working on a Nuffield Foundation-funded research project into Ofsted reliability and consistency alongside Dr Christian Bokhove and Dr Sam Sims and said that the interest being shown in their work “has been quite overwhelming”.

Writing in a blog for FFT, Prof Jerrim lays blame at the door of Ofsted itself.

“In many ways, Ofsted is in the best position to conduct such research. It has the resources, access to inspectors and a great research team. Yet, throughout its 30-year history, Ofsted has published little on this matter. Why?

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