OFSTED inspections should encourage intelligent and creative development of schools rather than conformity to a specific standard, according to the headteacher of one academy.

Steve Colledge, principal at the Ridgeway School, in Wroughton, who is also an additional inspector for the education watchdog, said any system had to balance the benefits of a national inspection system and a focus on individual school improvement.

His comments came in reaction to proposals for a radical overhaul of the system from the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), which proposes that reports focus on what is right for a given school.

Mr Colledge said: “I think all schools now recognise the benefit of external validation to their work.

“What is not needed is an inspection system that breeds conformity, but what is needed is one that recognises a school for its genuine attempts to develop and move forward in a creative and intelligent manner.

“It is important that teachers put the effort into preparing for their classes and individual students rather than being preoccupied with preparing for Ofsted.

“A consistent and supportive approach would be welcome as ATL suggests, but there are huge benefits from national inspection teams who are aware of national best practice rather than ones constrained by the local picture.”

Mr Colledge said a stage had been reached where a grade issued in one year was incomparable to that of another because criteria changed.

The ATL put self-assessment at the heart of its proposed system, and argued that inspection teams should have a continual relatisonhip with schools to change a culture of adversarial unspections to one of support.

Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the ATL, said: “We propose an inspection system that is tailored to school improvement, proportionate in its impact and works with, not against, the teaching profession.

“We do not shy away from the fact these proposals call for a significant change in culture.

“The time is right, now, to seriously consider the fundamental reform of school inspection.”

Mr Colledge said it had been recognised that “confident schools” doing well in league tables felt secure in being creative, while those near “floor level” – where the Government threatened action – feared trying things that might jeaopardise increasing league table percentages.