MORE than a dozen complaints about Ofsted inspections have been dealt with since 2020 according to the latest figures. 

Figures obtained by RADAR show 16 complaints were recorded about Ofsted inspections from providers in Cumbria over the three years to March 2023, eight of which were registered last year.

Included in these complaints are four that are related to the alleged behaviour of inspectors, furthermore, the figures also show that in the last year, two complaints in Cumbria were fully upheld, with these two cases being included in the 263 across England in which Ofsted was found to be partially in the wrong.

In a wider national context, 1,199 complaints about Ofsted were dealt with last year, with 502 including concerns regarding the behaviour of inspectors, and in the same timescale 18 complaints were fully upheld in England. 

In response to these figures, an Ofsted spokesperson said: "We want to make sure that our work is always carried out with professionalism, courtesy, empathy and respect.

"In the vast majority of cases it is – but we take all complaints very seriously.

"We understand that some have found our complaints process difficult to navigate, so we recently introduced a new, more transparent process, including the option for leaders to call a senior person at Ofsted if they have any concerns during their inspection.

"We consulted on these measures and they were strongly supported by the sectors we inspect."