In 2014 an investigation took place into whether three of the Inspiration Trust's schools were given unauthorised advance notice of Ofsted inspections.[16] The main finding of the investigation was that there was no evidence the schools had received unauthorised prior warning.[17] There was a secondary finding that the trust's Chief Executive, Dame Rachel de Souza, had mistakenly seen a planned inspection date for one of the schools during her own training as an inspector; however, this date had been changed as a result.[17] There was further concern about Ofsted's judgements of one of the trust's schools in 2018.[18]
In 2018 there was concern about Sir Theodore's continuing role in the trust given that he had become Academies Minister, although he was no longer "a person of significant control".[20] He resigned from the trust the same year.[21]
In the same year there was criticism of Dame Rachel de Souza's salary.[22]
In 2019 there was publicity about the amount the trust was deducting from schools' budgets to fund development of the curriculum.[23]
In summer 2020, de Souza took a high-profile decision to reopen her schools in mid August in response to the educational time lost due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[24]
“Every hour makes a difference! Particularly in schools with disadvantaged cohorts, that time in front of a teacher is critical.” (de Souza)
Some students have had no contact with the internet for six months, others will have been diligently following online lessons, de Souza explained. Students, starting with year 11s, will self isolate in year group bubbles, in school and on the school buses. They will have longer school days and be offered Saturday school with catch-up sessions.[24]
