Authors

Colin Richards
All articles by Colin Richards
Ofsted’s inspection changes should be thrown out
Two former senior inspectors set out why, even with Ofsted admitting that its proposals need tweaking, the watchdog’s plans will not be fit for purpose
General
23 April 2025
Rubbish being chucked out
‘Ofsted: teaching is an art, not a social science’
Ofsted’s effort to try to apply social-research methods to investigating the quality of education is doomed, says Colin Richards
2 July 2019
Progressive education: why it’s time to rescue its rep
Progressivism in the English schools system has been smeared and rubbished for decades, but now is the time to unearth its rich legacy – and it’s not about allowing the kids to run wild, writes Colin Richards
24 May 2019
Ofsted is no more scientific than a theatre critic
Does scientific validity and reliability matter as much as people think when making a value judgement about a school?
21 May 2019
‘Ofsted must stop giving schools a single grade’
Ofsted should move to an inspection system with thoughtful descriptions rather than just a grade, says Colin Richards
1 May 2019
‘Most primary schools won’t meet Ofsted’s expectations’
How can schools satisfy Ofsted’s new requirements without the full range of subject expertise, asks Colin Richards
10 April 2019