A Labour government would overhaul school inspections, replacing Ofsted’s “avalanche of bureaucracy” with a new light-touch, peer-review system led by heads and teachers, the shadow education secretary has said.



Tristram Hunt said the current framework of school improvement, which centred on a “target-driven, exam-factory model”, had “reached its end stages”.



And though Ofsted had been a vehicle for progress in education, he warned that the inspection system was now beginning to “choke something far more precious”, and was in danger of burying the joy of schooling.



Hunt was addressing delegates at the Association of Teachers and Lecturers annual conference in Liverpool, where he said: “There can be no doubt in my mind that Ofsted has been an extraordinarily progressive force for improving this country’s educational outcomes and spreading equal opportunity to areas of historic disadvantage.



“But I also believe we may have reached the tipping point, the moment when our inspection system begins to choke something far more precious. When the joy, wonder and beauty of schooling risks being buried in the avalanche of bureaucracy that emerges out of the increasingly byzantine demands of inspection.



“Or at least the frazzled, insecure interpretation of those demands by some head teacher.”



Outlining his vision for the new inspectorate, Hunt told delegates he wanted to see an inspectorate free from “the merest suspicion of politicisation and political interference”. It needed to move beyond box-ticking and data dependence; it should give heads with a good track record the space to innovate and develop, and there should be “no prescriptions made on pedagogy”.

I love my job, but workload means staff are at breaking point – it’s unbearable. Newly qualified teacher

He went on: “But, above all, what I really want to see is an inspectorate that carries the full confidence of the profession, parents and business. Ofsted needs to move towards a supportive, light-touch, profession-led, centrally moderated, peer review system of inspection.



“And an incoming Labour government will support this pathway to reform. A journey towards an inspection system that upholds standards and allows the space and flexibility for innovation.



“Let nobody tell you this is a soft touch. Let nobody tell you this is threat to standards. Rather this is the embodiment of trust, collaboration and a 21st-century approach to rigour and underperformance.”



Hunt revealed that an education bill would be brought forward within the first 100 days of a Labour government, covering vocational education, apprenticeships and training. He has previously said Labour wants to create a “vocational education system to rival Germany’s”, and will introduce a technical baccalaureate, technical degrees for young people to earn while they learn and two-year apprenticeships.



He also promised a more collegiate approach between different government departments on issues in which they have a shared responsibility. “Within the first 100 days you will have a Labour education bill about vocational education, apprenticeships and training,” Hunt told reporters.



“It will be a joint Department for Education (DfE)/Department for Business Bill because once again we’re moving away from this isolated vision of the DfE.

“The DfE is going to work once again with departments like the Department of Health to work on parenting and early years, and it’s going to work with the Department for Business on vocational education, on apprenticeships, on training. So within the first 100 days we will have that.”



Commenting on Hunt’s speech, the ATL general secretary, Dr Mary Bousted, said: “Tristram Hunt is right to want an inspectorate that carries the full confidence of the profession, parents and business. ATL has made it clear to all political parties that Ofsted’s current inspection regime fails on this count as it undermines teaching by driving unnecessary workload that distracts from pupils’ learning.



“ATL has proposed a new form of local inspection led by expert professionals with quality assurance provided by a national body. Crucially, its local base and supportive nature will mean school improvement and professional development is at its heart. Children will benefit from an accountability system that creates less pressure and less pointless work for their teachers but fosters innovation and collaboration.



“Labour may be the first party in this election campaign to commit to changing inspection but we call upon all other parties who want to form the next government to follow suit.”



Hunt’s announcement on Ofsted echoes a speech by Sean Harford, Ofsted’s national director of schools, who earlier this month said a 10-year future for inspections could see Ofsted’s role being “to moderate judgments and assess the robustness of peer-review arrangements – making sure they weren’t just cosy fireside chats between colleagues”.



Hunt’s speech was generally well received and there was disappointment among delegates that Nicky Morgan, the education secretary, was not attending the conference, with members tweeting #whereisnicky.

Among issues up for debate was teachers’ workload, with delegates sharing stories of staff in tears at school on a daily basis. “I love my job, but workload means staff are at breaking point – it’s unbearable,” one newly qualified teacher told the conference. Another teacher with two children said she worked a 55-hour week.



Members also discussed a motion on the government’s drive on fundamental British values, describing it as “ill-considered, ill-defined and counterproductive”.



The motion read: “This knee-jerk national policy ‘solution’ to localised governance issues risks becoming the source of wider conflict rather than a means of resolving it.”

