A UNION leader has warned that teachers are leaving the profession because of Ofsted inspections.

Simon Jones, Lancashire and Blackburn NUT representative, said inspections were causing destructive levels of stress.

He said: “Ofsted’s chief, Sir Michael Wilshaw, has himself said that two in five teachers leave the profession in the first five years of teaching.

“One of the reasons is certainly not being able to face the pressure of another Ofsted inspection.

“The NUT believes, as the recent Policy Exchange report into Ofsted says, it is nothing less than a waste of time and money.

“While teachers understand the need for accountability, overwhelming evidence from research and practice demonstrates that evaluation by schools themselves must be at the centre of school inspection and support.

“The dreadfully high stakes nature of Ofsted inspections means that many leadership and teacher roles will be harder to fill everywhere and perhaps even more so in schools with a higher proportion of challenging students.

“Everyone wants the best for pupils but this current inspection system does not work for teachers or for the raising of educational standards in a balanced curriculum”.