Ofsted a stressor or a force for good in FE? Here’s your chance to have your say!

The Edge Foundation in collaboration with researchers from UCL Institute of Education are conducting a piece of research that seeks to gauge the collective experiences across colleges that have been inspected under the Education Inspection Framework (EIF) introduced in 2019, shedding light on the differing effects of inspections on teaching, curriculum, staff behaviours and wider institutional dynamics and staff well-being.

In an effort to understand Ofsted’s impact on Further Education colleges, lecturers and managers can take part in a research survey examining the impact of the EIF on the sector since its introduction in 2019. The research survey aims to collect opinions and experiences of inspections in colleges, from all staff from teachers and middle managers through to senior leaders.  

Dr Andrea Laczik, Director of Research at the Edge Foundation explains

‘we are engaging with this research to support evidence-based policy making and practice. There is a clear gap in knowledge of how FE colleges are experiencing inspections, in particular the new framework. 

While Dr Bernardita  Munoz Chereau from UCL Institute of Education emphasises the importance of research in developing our critical understanding of inspections to help shape the landscape going forward.

The findings from this research are expected to inform future policy discussions as the EIF comes up for review in 2025. The report will be published on the Edge Foundation website in June 2024. 

To participate in the survey, please click here  

The survey closes on 29 February 2024.