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What would an American head of Ofsted mean for England's schools?

Government policy Inspection updates
There have been reports in the national press that the next head of Ofsted could be an American. If true, it raises serious questions about the relationship between government and Ofsted, says Dr Matt O’Leary

Never one to shy away from a challenge and with a tendency to attract confrontation, the Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw is a formidable character who has caused controversy among politicians and practitioners alike during his term in office.

In a much publicised spat between himself and the then education secretary Michael Gove in 2014, the chief inspector was said to be “spitting blood” over what he perceived as unjustified criticism of Ofsted from Gove’s Department for Education and closely aligned right-wing think-tanks Civitas and Policy Exchange.

Now two years later the government has decided to call time on Sir Michael’s tenure and recent press reports suggest they are looking to the US for his replacement. But what does this tell us about the relationship between the Department for Education and Ofsted in England? And does it really matter where the next chief inspector comes from?

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