In an era of test-based accountability, school inspections can offer a more nuanced understanding of why schools fail. Yet, we have limited knowledge of how inspectors arrive at their decisions on school quality. Analyzing inspectors' decision-making can reveal the underlying views regarding school accountability and open opportunities for school…

In the article, an attempt was made to demonstrate the usefulness of the concept of administration as a humanistic field of knowledge, developed by representatives of the sciences of administration, management, and economics, in research on school administration, with particular emphasis on school supervision. Referring to the postulate to include…

To be able to talk about the existence of a successful education system, it is important to inspect all stages as much as the inputs, processes, and outputs of the system. To reach the distant goals of education smoothly, the close goals need to be checked, problems should be detected and corrected in a right time and in a suitable way, necessary…

This paper performs a critical examination of the Ofsted Education Inspection Framework (EIF), which was accompanied by an Inspection Handbook for Further Education and Skills, and argues that this policy document reinforces the neoliberal project in education. Drawing on concepts from Michel Foucault's analysis of the nature and effects of…

High-quality early childhood education is key for children's positive and long-term outcomes. Countries differ on how they quality assure provision. In England, Ofsted is the independent inspection body, often the source of controversy for lack of transparency in ratings. However, there is a dearth of evidence on how inspectors' judgements are…

The purpose of the study was to investigate the determinants of academic performance in armed forces basic schools from the perspectives of teachers in Ghana Armed Forces basic schools. The study was underpinned by Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and McGregor's Theories X and Y. A concurrent mixed method approach was used, allowing the authors to…

The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, requires the U.S. Department of Education (Department) to provide reasonable accommodations for otherwise qualified employees with disabilities unless doing so poses an undue hardship. The objective of the Office of Inspector General (OIG) inspection was to review the Department's administration of its…

Ofsted inspections of Initial Teacher Education (ITE) providers aim to enhance training quality for pre-service teachers in England. However, research rarely examines the impact of these inspections on the wellbeing of Teacher Educators (TEs) based in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). This study, part of a broader investigation into burnout…

This article reports on a study that analysed multiple logics behind the development of doctoral education in China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand. The analysis focused on the development over the past two decades and general measures to ensure quality. Research materials analysed in this article consisted of semi-structured…

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.…

Among the most important duties of the school inspectorate since its formation in 1839 has been to report on the quality of teaching. Yet there is relatively little historical discussion over how the inspectorate has defined and evaluated teaching quality, which this paper seeks to address. Following a discussion of conceptual issues and an…

Organizational maturity can inform decision-making, build strategy and underpin development. This paper argues that 'Governance Maturity Theory' (GMT) can act as a developmental modality for school Governing Bodies - and offers an alternative to disciplinary mechanisms such as inspections. Evidence generated by governors, Chairs, and Governance…

Research has long suggested that the policy of school inspection, implemented through the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) in England, has psychological and physical effects on teachers that can be defined as toxic. Concern over this issue intensified following media reports linking a headteacher's suicide to a negative Ofsted inspection…

Research has long suggested that Ofsted, the school inspection service in England, has a negative impact on teachers and school leaders. Concern over this issue intensified following media reports linking the suicide of a primary headteacher, Ruth Perry, to a negative Ofsted report in early 2023. Existing analysis of the inspection policy is…

School inspection has always attracted great controversy, but especially since the inception of the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted). Over the years, many voices have entered the debate about inspection, but one particular voice has hardly been heard--that of rank-and-file inspectors themselves. This…