Roger Nichols says teachers’ needs must also be recognised, while Frank Coffield says the new model of inspection must be collaborative. Plus a letter from Karen Lewton The idea that schools could be rated using a single-word descriptor was always ridiculous, given the roles that teachers are called on to play (The Guardian view on one-word Ofsted reports: good riddanceEditorial, 2 September). As a deputy head and former acting head in a large high school, my functions when not in the classroom included ad hoc social worker, amateur sleuth, psychologist, paramedic, car park attendant, dispute arbitrator, health and safety guru, marriage guidance counsellor for parents, advocate, promoter, developer and, back home, married father of two. At last we appear to be coming to grips with key issues, especially attendance and behaviour, both of which are fertilised by a climate of social decline, confusion and lack of vision. In the inspections through which I helped lead my school, I was repeatedly puzzled to find that nowhere was there a satisfactory channel through which to address the feelings, worries, perceptions and concerns of teachers themselves. My wife and I are both retired from education, but our two children are still teaching. Their frustration and low morale is something we recognise, all four of us having found ourselves depressed, threatened and frightened at different periods in our careers, with nowhere to turn for advice and support. Continue reading...

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