Two Cumbrian schools have been brought up short by Ofsted for weaknesses in their safeguarding, resulting in proposals to make the schools look like prisons following the construction of fences around their boundaries.

It is clear to me that Ofsted is at risk of losing all credibility as an inspectorate of educational standards if it pursues this agenda, which appears to me to be both irrational and disproportionate.

Of course the safeguarding of children is important, but it should not become the main focus of an inspection which seems to emerge from some obsessive, paranoid, politically correct agenda.

Schools are facing curriculum changes and Ofsted would make far better use of tax payers' money if it focused on driving forward these changes and supporting schools to bring them about.

Perhaps it is time for the government to review the role and purpose of Ofsted, carry out some wide-ranging and deep cuts to make Ofsted more accountable to the tax-payer, and then allocate the money thus saved to schools to use in raising standards not raising fences.

Stephen Mott

Consultant for School Standards and Improvement

Shap