NAHT welcomes education committee calls for major changes to Ofsted

Responding to the new report by the education committee calling for major changes to Ofsted inspections, Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders' union NAHT, said: 

“There is now overwhelming consensus that single-word judgements have had their day and it is positive to see the committee has reached the same conclusion, as well as supporting many of our other recommendations for long-term reform.

“Inspections are placing intolerable strain on school leaders and staff, compounded by the pressure of high stakes single-word grades which too often do not provide a fair reflection of schools or provide useful information for parents.

“While the new chief inspector has demonstrated his willingness to listen and openness to change, it’s vital this is now followed by tangible action and far-reaching reform if Ofsted is to regain the trust of schools.

"In the meantime, we are urging the inspectorate to adopt a model of ungraded inspections. This should be a precursor to a permanent end to single-word judgements, replaced by a more helpful and informative analysis of a school’s strengths and areas for development.”