ABSTRACT
In September 1992 the first training courses for independent inspectors were held, the Office for Standards in Education's (OFSTED) logo was unveiled and participants were sold the newly published Handbook for the Inspection of Schools. OFSTED's model makes the process of school improvement look considerably less problematic than we all know it to be in practice. The OFSTED model recognizes the importance of external support, and indeed the Framework for the Inspection of Schools has been seen by many as part of that support and guidance. Many teachers recalled an atmosphere in the week of the inspection that was based on cautious mutual respect between teachers and inspectors. The majority of teachers' value direct feedback from the inspectors about the lessons observed. For some the formal feedback was seen variously as too impersonal or too rushed. Sometimes too little time is offered for reflection, and notes taken hastily can give an unbalanced view.
