The schools regulator Ofsted is to send more inspectors into classrooms to observed teachers' performances, following criticism that they focus too much on national test results.
Appearing before the House of Commons Education Select Committee he chief inspector of education, Christine Gilbert, told MPs that the new Ofsted inspection regime would include more lesson observation.
Ms Gilbert also raised concerns about the number of poorly performing teachers, saying it took too long "to get rid of" teachers who were not up to scratch.
She said: "We are working to improve our work so it is more proportionate - inspectors may spend more time than they currently do in classrooms."
Committee chairman Barry Sheerman suggested that the current lighter touch inspections had failed to "get to the heart of" what was happening in schools - a claim firmly rejected by Ms Gilbert.
She said: "We don't rely just on data. We go into schools and test out that data, speak to teachers, observe lessons and invite comments from parents, and we do get a full impression of the school."
Asked about the number of failing teachers, she said: "I see, and heads tell me, that the process for getting rid of teachers who can't teach well takes too long. They are reluctant to embark on it. When they embark on it, the teacher moves school before the end, so I do think there is an issue there."
Recent estimates place the number of below-standard teachers in England's schools at between 17,000 and 24,000. The Government has promised to make removing poor teachers from schools easier in the future.
Appearing before the House of Commons Education Select Committee he chief inspector of education, Christine Gilbert, told MPs that the new Ofsted inspection regime would include more lesson observation.
Ms Gilbert also raised concerns about the number of poorly performing teachers, saying it took too long "to get rid of" teachers who were not up to scratch.
She said: "We are working to improve our work so it is more proportionate - inspectors may spend more time than they currently do in classrooms."
Committee chairman Barry Sheerman suggested that the current lighter touch inspections had failed to "get to the heart of" what was happening in schools - a claim firmly rejected by Ms Gilbert.
She said: "We don't rely just on data. We go into schools and test out that data, speak to teachers, observe lessons and invite comments from parents, and we do get a full impression of the school."
Asked about the number of failing teachers, she said: "I see, and heads tell me, that the process for getting rid of teachers who can't teach well takes too long. They are reluctant to embark on it. When they embark on it, the teacher moves school before the end, so I do think there is an issue there."
Recent estimates place the number of below-standard teachers in England's schools at between 17,000 and 24,000. The Government has promised to make removing poor teachers from schools easier in the future.
