Inspection and the fabrication of professional and performative processes

Abstract

This paper is about the issue of the performance of inspection. Based on research conducted in an English secondary school in the years following its time under Special Measures, I discuss the idea that during an inspection the school becomes focussed around performing for inspection. I discuss performance theory here as well as notions of performativity. I set the scene with middle and senior managers' recollections of life under Special Measures, in effect the time in which they learnt to perform. I then use data from time spent in the school before and during the school's OfSTED inspection, and discuss inspection as performance.

Keywords:

• inspection
• schools
• performativity
• normalisation
• fabrication

Notes

1. This is a pseudonym to protect the school.

2. A benchmark for measurement of poverty.

3. All statistics from the OfSTED report, date withheld.

4. Cognitive Assessment Tests, which pupils sit at the start of their secondary school to provide basic data about their literacy, numeracy and thinking skills.