Lee Owston
Lee Owston is one of His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) and National Director, Education. He leads Ofsted’s Education Directorate, overseeing inspection policy and practice in early education, state-funded schools, non-association independent schools, unregistered schools, further education and skills, teacher development and Area SEND, including alternative provision. This includes the development and delivery of inspector training.
Since joining Ofsted as HMI in 2013, Lee has held various deputy director roles across early years, schools, teacher development and special educational needs and/or disabilities. He has also been a senior HMI in Ofsted’s North East, Yorkshire and Humber region and held specialist adviser roles linked to registered early years provision, inspector training and His Majesty’s Chief Inspector’s accountability unit. Lee is a qualified teacher and holds post-graduate qualifications in educational leadership and management. Before joining Ofsted, Lee held senior leadership positions in schools,
was senior adviser for early education and primary schools in a local authority and was regional director for the National Strategies, where he contributed to national publications on
English, phonics and assessment.