‘A fever of anxiety and fear’? Historical Perspectives on the Impact of School Inspections on Teachers’ Emotional Well-Being
Recent debates surrounding the effects of school inspections on teachers’ well-being often lack historical context which this paper seeks to address. It explores the emotional experiences of teachers during school inspections from the inception of the inspectorate in 1839 to contemporary calls for inspection reform. Drawing on a wide range of sources, including biographies, oral history, inspection reports, and school records, the findings reveal that teacher stress and fear during inspections are longstanding issues, heightened during periods of high-stakes accountability such as the 1860s and 1990s. However, positive emotions like joy and satisfaction, frequently overlooked in inspection discourse, were also present. The paper’s central argument is that the inspectors’ style was a key influence on teachers’ well-being, either promoting or undermining their confidence and morale. The seminar will raise questions of relevance to educators, policymakers, and researchers interested in the intersection of inspection practices, teacher well-being, and educational accountability.
Russell Grigg is the Director of Initial Teacher Education at Swansea University. His research interests lie in the history of schools and inspections. He has recently contributed to A. Kean (ed.) (2022) Watchdogs or Visionaries? Perspectives on the History of the Education Inspectorate in Wales, Cardiff: University of Wales Press.
All welcome- this seminar is free to attend but registration is required.
This page was last updated on 5 December 2024
