Ofsted’s education in crisis management
Could it be Jeremy Hunt is envious of education secretary Michael Gove? The announcement that the health secretary is exploring “Ofsted style” ratings for hospitals and care homes may well stem from a view that his education counterpart enjoys a better understanding of which organisations within his remit are “failing”.
Mr Hunt spoke this week of parents knowing how well schools are performing, thanks to Ofsted’s reviews. There is no doubt he wishes the same level of transparency for patients, especially when considering what the Francis report is likely to say about the opaque nature of NHS services − but he is also likely to want greater visibility for himself, too.
The belief that Mr Gove can access granular information which tells him which 100 schools are struggling is seductive.
Health secretaries live in fear of being surprised by the next scandal and an easily understood rating which pointed them in the right direction and provided both cover and reason for intervention has long been a holy grail.
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Anonymous | 29-Nov-2012 11:46 am
As Gove is criticising teaching staff in all state schools on an almost-daily basis (i.e bullying them into low morale and daily exasparation), Jeremy Hunt would be well-advised to give Gove and his views a wide berth. It's hell out there in education at present.
Gove is doing for education what Lansley has done for health.
No minister can make improvements to his/her charge while pouring contempt on its workers.
(I speak as a long-standing school governor, and parent of two teachers, one herself a governor.)
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