Good schools can expect even shorter visits from inspectors

Ofsted intends to have a new regime it describes as "proportionate to risk". The best schools will get fewer visits.

Schools judged satisfactory overall but with "pockets of underachievement" are likely to be seen more often than every three years - the current cycle.

Head teachers' leader John Dunford said this would increase the pressure on those already under "immense pressure".

Dr Dunford, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said the lighter touch on good schools was sensible.

Random, frequent, high-pressure monitoring could well deflect a school from its priorities John Dunford Association of School and College Leaders

But he added: "We are completely opposed to an increase in inspection for schools graded 'satisfactory'."

He added: "In the last two years there has been an increase in heads losing their jobs after a difficult inspection.

"Inspecting schools more does not help them to improve."

He said schools needed support following an inspection but the government had consistently failed to put a coherent system in place.

Visits by inspectors undertaken at regular intervals have proved valuable in ensuring that the quality of education pupils receive improves Ofsted

The balance of pressure and support needed to be re-thought.

"Random, frequent, high-pressure monitoring could well deflect a school from its priorities and encourage short-term fixes rather than long-term improvement."

The general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, Steve Sinnott, agreed that the only effect of Ofsted's proposals would be to increase pressure on school staff.

"Combined with the government's proposals to increase local authority monitoring powers, teachers and head teachers will believe that they can't move without inspectors looking over their shoulders," he said.

"Increasing punitive inspections rather than support for schools will simply lead to many teachers and head teachers asking whether it is worth staying in teaching."

And the leader of the National Association of Head Teachers, Mick Brookes, said: "If this heralds in a new and even tougher regime of inspection, then we will lose people from schools in droves."

'Endorsed'

In a report on its proposals, Ofsted said the monitoring of schools in "special measures" - given notice to improve or face closure - had been "a success story".

The whole focus of the Ofsted regime is on seeking to maintain failure in the system Chris Keates NASUWT teachers' union

"Visits by inspectors undertaken at regular intervals have proved valuable in ensuring that the quality of education pupils receive improves," Ofsted said.

Its approach had been endorsed by respondents to a consultation, and in meetings with local authorities and individual head teachers.

"We intend to continue this practice but to tailor it to meet the needs of schools more closely."

It said: "There are a number of schools which, while satisfactory overall, still have pockets of underachievement.

"Ofsted is trialling approaches to monitoring these schools over the next few months."

It intended to finalise its approach next March.

It would then implement a monitoring programme in the bottom 5% of satisfactory schools from the summer term of 2007.

'Maintaining failure'

But its current system began operating only last September.

The general secretary of the NASUWT teachers' union, Chris Keates, said it made no difference how schools performed, Ofsted constantly raised the bar.

"The whole focus of the Ofsted regime is on seeking to maintain failure in the system," she said.

"Barely is the ink dry on their recently published revised inspection arrangements than they announce yet another change.

"How can anybody have confidence in an organisation which clearly lacks direction and has no idea."