Dr Mary Bousted, John Catt, £16
Dr Bousted makes a strong case for major reform of the parts of the education system in England that has a direct impact on teachers – and therefore on students. She demonstrates, in effect, that Ofsted is, frankly, not fit for purpose: the framework it relies on has changed five times in the last nine years. And the Dfe? Over eighty percent of teachers think it has a negative impact on teaching and learning.
Reading about the extent of the pressures on teachers and the tendency to blame teachers for government failings, it’s a wonder that anyone enters the profession in the first place let alone remains in it. While it’s regrettable that much of the data drawn on is based on surveys by the National Education Union, it’s unlikely that many teachers will disagree with the findings even on an anecdotal level. The book closes with interesting suggestions for reform.
This review was first published in Teach Secondary magazine.
Related title: The Turning Point for the Teaching Profession
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