Primary/Special head. I write, I ride and I lead - not always at the same time. Lessons from the Heads Office (available on Amazon). @headsroundtable
Somerset
Joined August 2012
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Old Primary Head retweeted
New Blog: When ONE Mark Matters. I was shocked at how many people had issues with SATs marking. I have laid mine out. The blog is really shocking and should be a worry to all schools. It's a question of TRUST.
oldprimaryhead.com/2026/10/0…
A good blog that looks at the importance of the Quality of Education grade. I agree but feel it's too unreliable in Ofsted hands and often based on data outcomes that could be more nuanced - E.g where is my school compared to similar schools - surely the IDSR could do this?
Blog post for Sunday 4th October 2026.
Ofsted should not give effort grades andrewold.substack.com/p/ofs…
New Blog: When ONE Mark Matters. I was shocked at how many people had issues with SATs marking. I have laid mine out. The blog is really shocking and should be a worry to all schools. It's a question of TRUST.
oldprimaryhead.com/2026/10/0…
For clarification: I do not see this as a MO issue. I believe Ofsted needs system change. Root and branch- and that is not about lowering standards. As a head I want our standards to be the very best. But not at the cost of many very good professionals.
Exactly this. The lazy argument that by recognising context is lowing standards needs to be challenged.
Ignoring context isn't high expectations. It's just a way to blame the schools serving the children who need them most.
My latest blog. #Education #SEND #Inclusion
smithsmm.wordpress.com/2026/…
Old Primary Head retweeted
We had our first experience of this framework this week and this is very welcome news and long overdue. Let’s hope they don’t just tinker around the edges and actually understand it is a revolution, not evolution, that is needed @LucyMPowell theguardian.com/education/20…
Old Primary Head retweeted
Having lived it; ask for your ofsted inclusion grade to be written on supersoft paper to give it some use.
Ofsted have utterly failed to reform. The profession is further away than ever to their take on accountability. It is not about one person leading.. it is systemic. If this was a school you are graded… and it hurts doesn’t it?
Poor children? As someone who was poor and came from a disadvantaged position and is a long standing head… I don’t see how a contextual inspection regime can’t be an improvement regime… you can improve without comparing to the ridiculous.
I do not think this is something to celebrate and I worry about what it means for poor children in schools that are underperforming: theguardian.com/education/20…
SATs are a national disgrace. I had 2 SPAG papers with 4 pages missing from the transcripts (their mistake) both children SEN and on a SS of 99. 4 pages missing and not marked! Came back today with generic answer. Can’t mark pages missing??? This matters. Won’t let this go.
Old Primary Head retweeted
THIS!!!!
Old Primary Head retweeted
Ofsted’s inspection system is causing ‘harm’ to teachers and making them want to quit the profession, finds @NEUnion survey – with @DanielKebedeNEU saying it is ‘not acceptable that the new framework is driving this amount of stress’
tes.com/magazine/news/genera…
Old Primary Head retweeted
When Ofsted calls, our trust is very deliberate about one message – we stand together: REAch2’s Andrew Rigby writes for Tes on the importance of trusts supporting school leaders throughout an inspection
tes.com/magazine/leadership/…
Old Primary Head retweeted
At times my 'Summer Holiday' Ofsted inspection felt more like Kafka's The Trial than a school inspection... oldprimaryhead.com/2026/09/1…
At times my 'Summer Holiday' Ofsted inspection felt more like Kafka's The Trial than a school inspection... oldprimaryhead.com/2026/09/1…
And who is surprised? This is critical and must be addressed.
🚨EXCL: Ofsted is 5x more likely to give the lowest inclusion grades to secondary schools with the most SEND children.
Experts warn that the data shows “serious flaws” in Ofsted's inspection framework & "damages inclusive schools".
Analysis from me & @JohnGRoberts//@SchoolDash
Old Primary Head retweeted
All inspections should be paused to protect school leaders’ wellbeing in light of Ofsted’s decision to press on with an inspection when a head was absent undergoing cancer treatment, says ASCL leader
tes.com/magazine/analysis/ge…
