On Monday 12 June 2023, in response to the death of head teacher Ruth Perry, who took her own life following an Ofsted inspection, the education regulator has announced a number of reforms to its current inspection system. Schools which are given an Ofsted rating of inadequate will be re-inspected sooner to give them a chance to improve. Schools will also be given more information around the timing of their inspections, and Ofsted’s complaints system will be overhauled so that complaints could be escalated to an independent adjudicator at an earlier stage.
Why the changes?
The reforms announced by Ofsted are a response to the concerns that have been raised about the current inspection system. Ofsted has defended its inspection system, saying that it is necessary to ensure that all schools are providing a good education for their pupils. Ofsted has also said that it is committed to working with schools to improve their performance. However, both parents and teachers have been critical of Ofsted’s inspection system. The criticism is that Ofsted’s current system is too stressful and that it can put too much pressure on schools and staff. Concerns have also been raised regarding the one-word ratings system being too simplistic, stating that it does not give a fair picture of a school’s performance.
What has been said?
The changes have been welcomed by some, but others have said they do not go far enough. For example, Ruth Perry’s sister, Professor Julia Waters, said the changes were a “start and a step in the right direction”, but said more needed to be done to address the “intolerable pressure” on head teachers.
Paul Whiteman, general secretary at the National Association of Head Teachers Union (“NAHT”) said the changes were “somewhat helpful”, but “go nowhere near far enough in addressing the profession’s concerns”. The NAHT will continue to campaign for “more fundamental reform” of the inspection process.
Ofsted chief inspector Amanda Spielman said:
“Ofsted has been thinking carefully about how we can revise aspects of our work without losing our clear focus on the needs of children and their parents”.
It remains to be seen whether these reforms will be enough to address the concerns of schools, parents and teachers.
