The document analysis method was used in the current study conducted to investigate the complaints against educational institutions and their stakeholders. To this end, the data obtained within the framework of the research questions were coded and categorized by using the descriptive analysis technique in the study, in which a total of two…

School self-evaluation is a low-stakes policy recently mandated in Ireland and while schools are becoming more consistent in engaging in this internal mode of evaluation, their engagement has not been uniform. This paper provides new ways of thinking about, understanding, and explaining how school self-evaluation plays out in Irish schools.…

Many national education systems incorporate a central inspectorate tasked with visiting, evaluating and reporting on the performance of schools. The judgements produced by inspectors often play a part in the way that schools are held to account and constitute an important source of data in their own right. Inspection reports are therefore of great…

This paper contributes to recent debates pertaining to neoliberal technologies of performativity including fabrication, panopticism and post-panopticism. These terms are discussed here in relation to constant visibility from recent school inspection arrangements in England and the impact of this on school leadership. Case study research within one…

The recent inclusion of "cultural capital" into the English Ofsted Education Inspection Framework (2019) caused a ripple of discontent within some educational circles, with some suggesting it is indicative of 'white, middle-class paternalism'. Here, we consider the political rise of Bourdieu's concept of 'cultural capital' within the…

The focus of this article is on the legal requirement for schools in Scotland to ensure Religious and Moral Education (RME) is taught to all children in non-denominational secondary schools. In particular, the article pays attention to the mediating role of inspection in the relationship between the legal requirement and provision in schools. The…

Accountability policy and its negative effects on teachers' working lives and retention is internationally recognised as a problem in education with school evaluation and inspection being a particular issue, particularly in England. Research suggests that the school inspection system Ofsted impacts negatively on the health and well-being of staff…

Introduction: The quality of school depends on a well-functioning school management, managed by the top school managers. It is very important to know the real conditions of the school to be able to provide any effective changes. Especially, it is necessary to know the educational process which can be efficiently determined by an inspection…

This study aims to determine the opinions of principals and teachers about the inspection of classrooms conducted by school principals. The phenomenological method, which belongs to the qualitative methods, was used for the research. The study's research group consisted of 10 school principals, selected according to the criterion sampling, working…

This paper examines the influence of intense scrutiny from Ofsted on school leadership and policy enactment. Data was collected in a coastal area of deprivation, providing the setting for a detailed case study of school leadership in a state secondary school and a state primary school, both with recent or ongoing experience of intense scrutiny…

This paper presents new evidence that explores the strengths, weaknesses and overall quality of school inspection practice in China. In one city region of Shandong Province, the research examines stakeholder perceptions of inspection purposes, processes and outcomes, as well as the potential to improve inspection practice and compulsory education…

School inspections are a key component of the accountability system in many education systems, including England. The judgments and reports produced through these inspections are widely used by parents when they are choosing a school for their children. But should they be? This paper presents new evidence on this issue. We illustrate how parents…

In 2004, a new form of inspection was introduced to post-primary schools in the Republic of Ireland. It represented a complete change from the previous light touch pattern and reflected the New Public Management approach to policymaking and implementation then becoming fashionable in the jurisdiction. Around the same time, a new policy for…

The inspection program is a crucial element of the education system and has a significant role in improving education quality. In Turkey, there may be a need for reform in the education inspection program to upgrade an efficient inspection. The Ministry of Education (MoNE) does not employ inspectors anymore. The duties of inspectors are undertaken…

In this article, we seek to expand our understanding of the micropolitics of school life by drawing on data generated from a one-year ethnographic study of a physical education (PE) department at a high school in the North of England. Specific attention is given to the structured demands placed upon the Departmental Head in the face of an imminent…