This isn’t something that I have had experience of, if this was the case I would raise a complaint.
I have been inspected in one form or another around 15 or so times, possibly more (school inspections, children’s centre inspections, childcare inspections) and there is a difference between them, especially between childcare and school inspections (Nursery School).
The school inspections are more thorough, often go on for longer and focus more specifically on learning, teaching and safeguarding. Childcare inspections have tended to be much more focused on the statutory guidance and as a result can be more 'welfare' or health and safety focused.
I have had poor inspectors, indifferent inspectors and even good inspectors (they do exist), but have not experienced a 'local inspector'.
In school inspections I suspect that there is a system that prevents this – I had always assumed that this was the case for childcare inspections too. I have always 'googled' the inspectors who have come to our school, looked at their past inspections and also where they work, whether they are HMI or part time.
Again in school inspections you have access to a portal that has a pen portrait of the inspectors. I have also asked them quite direct questions in the pre-inspection briefing (PIB - schools again) about their experience, views on learning and background.
I take Ofsted’s point that anonymous complaints are difficult to manage and my advice would always be to complain and state this at the time of inspection. Whenever I have felt the conduct of an inspector falls below the standard set in our school I raise it, loudly.
I think that if this is happening, either the local inspector or one that has led inadequate settings, then it is appalling. The judgement of Leadership and Management could in no way be accurately given by someone who has not met the threshold themselves. They should quite simply not be inspecting if this is the case. I would also be concerned if the commissioning of inspections did not take into account proximity and the inevitable conflict of interest this would cause, again this should simply not be allowed to happen.
All in all – sadly it demonstrates that the current system isn’t really fit for purpose. It’s high stakes and has a very limited impact on standards of learning and teaching in my opinion. Safeguarding is a different matter, this should be rigorous, but again the way in which it is conducted (every three or four years) doesn't really meet the need.
