This month’s look at what’s currently being discussed in the world of education

Schools hold their breath whilst waiting to discover what exactly Ofsted has in store. The inspection service has given itself a tight schedule for the introduction of extensive changes in the framework. Changes that some teacher unions are anxious cannot be delivered on time with sufficient quality.

Whenever the new-style Ofsted is introduced, it is likely that it will mean more work for teachers. Each new framework leads to a flurry of activity as schools sharpen up the practices that Ofsted has indicated are a priority for it.

There are reports that this is causing some consternation within the DfE which has been pledging its commitment to reducing teacher workload and not adding to it. Teachers might be forgiven for suspecting lack of sincerity if inspections become more demanding and more data is required to analyse the multiplication tables check.

Schools are continuing to struggle to employ the workforce they need and this is one of the reasons why the issue of workload has become such an urgent one for government ministers. However, the DfE is also exploring ways of keeping older teachers working for longer. The Teachers Working Longer Review Steering Group has been researching the issue and has come up with some recommendations.