Three-year-old gives pin-sharp response to Ofsted questionnaire

Ofsted said the questionnaire should not have been given to children as young as three

Three-year-old Layla drew a picture on the form (file image) (Getty)

A three-year-old’s artistic response to an Ofsted questionnaire has been shared thousands of times on social media.

Hayder al-Khoei’s young daughter, Layla, drew a picture on the form which asked respondents to note down whether they agreed or disagreed with statements such as “my school takes account of my views” and “my school encourages me to do things for myself and take on responsibility”.

Mr al-Khoei questioned whether the form was "appropriate" for children so young and whether Ofsted - a non-ministerial department that inspects services providing education - expected "parents to discuss responsibility and achievement potential with [two and three]-year-olds".

The father, an associate fellow at Chatham House, said his daughter confirmed the drawing was "a self-portrait, with a confused face [and] shoulder shrug".

Ofsted clarified that the forms were not intended to be filled in by three-year-olds and that inspectors were meant to speak to young children.

Mr al-Khoei told The Independent: "Ofsted says the form should never have been given out... and since it has been shared thousands of times on social media I've been in touch with the school [which] also says [it was] surprised when [it] received the questionnaires.

"It clearly states on the top of the form that it is for 'pupils aged 2-19' and not for 'schools which provide education' to 2-19 year olds as Ofsted stated on Twitter in response to my initial post.

"I gave the questionnaire to Layla, my daughter, and told her to draw a picture to highlight the absurdity of a questionnaire 'for pupils aged 2-19'."

Agreeing the questions on the form were too advanced, one social media user said even senior school children had struggled to fill in the form.

When asked for a response, Ofsted, confirmed the questions should not have been given out to a three-year-old, adding that all inspections were "age-appropriate".