Teachers accuse Ofsted of “gross misrepresentation” of their work, in inspectorate’s “research review” for English

Teachers and academics cited by Ofsted, in a major new review of research in the national curriculum subject of English, say their findings were distorted by the inspectorate as it sought to mould its conclusions to fit a pre-defined narrative.

One group of authors told Education Uncovered that Ofsted had engaged in a “gross misrepresentation” of their work, making a string of statements about their conclusions which were simply untrue, while “simplifying and distorting” their points.

Two other high-profile and influential researchers, whose work was also cited by the inspectorate, also criticised the publication, one saying it seemed as if it had “pre-determined views”.

Ofsted’s work has already come in for heavy criticism from several other English teaching organisations, one of which called for it to be withdrawn and re-written. It follows other searching critiques of evidence reviews by the inspectorate in maths and modern languages over the past year.

Ofsted sent a response giving no indication it was unhappy with the reviews, or that any would be re-written.

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