Mike Tomlinson, who retires in April, has fostered the new image of Ofsted

At the moment, inspectors chat informally to children while they inspect standards at a school, but the inspectorate is keen to seek out pupils' views.

Unions fear the process may be abused by a minority who want to attack and undermine individual teachers.

Consultation

Ofsted said it had had nearly 9,000 responses during a consultation period at the end of last year, when members of the public were asked their views on a range of ways to improve the inspection procedure.

Analysis of the responses showed a majority were in favour of a more flexible inspection system with shorter visits to most primary schools.

It's a most unhelpful and destabilising measure which I think is completely unnecessary

Nigel de Gruchy

There was "general agreement" that parents should be given written summaries of inspections - in a clear, jargon-free format.

More than 50% approved the plan of having a parents meeting with head teachers and governors to discuss the results of an inspection.

Just over half supported the use of questionnaires to take the views of pupils aged 11 to 16.

And those in favour said the questionnaires should ask for opinions about teaching quality, pastoral care and the content and format of the curriculum, including exams.

'Better informed'

The chief inspector, Mike Tomlinson: "I said I wanted inspection to be more responsive to schools' circumstances, more supportive of school improvement, better informed about the views of pupils, parents and the local community and better co-ordinated with other monitoring processes."

"I am confident that the proposals I am announcing today will capture all those benefits," he said.

"They will enable me to pass on to my successor as chief inspector, David Bell, an inspection system combining the clear-eyed critique of school performance... with valuable support for effective school management."

'Reservations'

General secretary of the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers, Nigel de Gruchy, said the union had "serious reservations" about the use of questionnaires.

"There are other ways in which pupil views can be gleaned - keeping your ears to the ground, you will pick up comments.

"This is an invitation to some youngsters who will use it in ways which are calculated to be disruptive.

"It's fine in principle for mature people but one has to recognise that that is simply not the case in schools with pupils who are forced to be there.

"It's a most unhelpful and destabilising measure which I think is completely unnecessary," he said.