In a snap poll, more than 3,000 school leaders have
overwhelmingly rejected Ofsted's recently announced proposals on
changes to school inspection.
The poll, conducted by the school leaders' union NAHT, found that
92% of school leaders disagreed with the proposal to introduce a
five-point graded judgements across eight to 10 different areas.
It also recorded more than 1,900 individual free text comments
citing concerns (totalling more than 100 pages) in under 48
hours.
NAHT has expressed concerns that reductive scorecards repeat the
worst aspects of the current system and will drive huge new and
unnecessary workload, piling more pressure onto already
overstretched school leaders.
Almost all (96%) leaders do not think that Ofsted will make
meaningful changes in response to the views shared by the
profession during the consultation launched earlier this week.
Responding to the survey, school leaders shared their concerns
anonymously with NAHT, citing fears that the new inspection model
could increase already excessive workload and damage staff
well-being. Schools are facing the worst recruitment and
retention crisis in living memory.
One leader said: ‘They have done incredibly well to make a
stressful and blunt approach to school inspection even more
stressful and blunt. It will increase inconsistency, drive up
workload and create exponentially more stress on headteachers and
leaders. It has been done with haste, has not taken sufficient
voice from the profession and, along with other changes is being
rushed through, will be disastrous.'
Another said: ‘I cannot see how this new inspection model
will have any positive impact on schools and especially the
pressure faced by leaders. Feels like lengthening the stick to
beat us with.'
Another leader added: ‘When will the focus be on mutual
support, positive criticism rather than stark judgements that
affect the wellbeing of all giving their lives to this
profession?'
NAHT has repeatedly warned that the new framework is being
rushed, with Ofsted aiming to introduce the proposed changes by
autumn 2025. NAHT is also deeply concerned that the use of
open-ended consultation questions will mean Ofsted does not have
the clear quantitative data it needs to fully understand whether
or not there is support for this new approach.
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders' union, the
NAHT said:
“School leaders are ambitious about standards, but these
proposals will increase the workload of teachers, driving them
away from the classroom.
“When these proposals were leaked at the end of last year, we
warned that they would not work. Rather than rethinking the
plans, Ofsted is pressing ahead with a model that has attracted
almost universal criticism.
“Ofsted needs to go back to the drawing board, urgently
reconsider these ill-thought-through plans, and listen to the
profession.”
Notes to editor:
The poll ran from February 3-5 and attracted 3,045 responses.
