UCU: Renewing UCU's Objection to OFSTED in FE

Motion

Motion text: FESC notes OFSTED inspections of FE institutions:
1. Cause unequalled stress for leadership and members, creating anxiety and
impacting performance and wellbeing – especially where harsh judgements
are passed
2. Focus on data over teaching quality and create an environment that favours
short-term fixes over long-term solutions
3. Increases workload of FE colleagues exponentially through fear of negative
judgements affecting everyone.
4. Give unrealistic results due to brief snapshot and the “window dressing”
carried out by employers
FESC resolves that FEC:
a. publicly back the NEU's “Abolish OFSTED” campaign
b. call for increased scrutiny of the way OFSTED works, including risk assessing
the inspections themselves, and surveying staff and organisations to gather
a true reflection of the impact and value of these inspections
c. organise national events to highlight the negatives of OFSTED inspections