Blog #Education

An open letter to Education Secretary, Nadhim Zahawi, urging him to act. His legacy lies not so much in his ability to fund schools, but in convincing his government to address the spiraling cost-of-living crisis. He must act now.

Sixty-one years ago, this week, four young men walked into a store in the United States and changed the course of history. They had decided to stand up for what was right, by sitting down. It was a defining moment in the struggle for social justice and civil rights.

Earlier this month I was invited to attend a consultation session with Sean Harford, Ofsted’s Director of Education, on behalf of Arts Council England. In this post I explain why – for now – I’m prepared to give Ofsted the benefit of the doubt.

Despite the title of this post, it doesn’t feel like a victory. But in the end, it all came down to this: Either I continue to inspect and work for Ofsted, or I blog. It seems I can’t do both.

I don’t blame ministers for wanting to test children more. I’d probably do the same thing if I was Education Secretary. It’s an easy one to introduce as it’s essentially a bureaucratic exercise. I think I’d do the same if I was Health Secretary.