A coalition of education leaders, including the sister of a headteacher who tragically died after her school was downgraded by Ofsted, has called for a delay to proposed changes to England’s school inspection system. The group has urged Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson to pause the “rushed” rollout of new inspection measures amid concerns that the planned reforms will not adequately address the pressures faced by school leaders.

The campaign has been spearheaded by Professor Julia Waters, sister of Ruth Perry, the 53-year-old headteacher of Caversham Primary in Reading, Berkshire. Ms Perry took her own life in January 2023 after the school was downgraded from ‘outstanding’ to ‘inadequate’ in an Ofsted inspection conducted in November 2022. A coroner concluded that the inspection contributed to her death, which has since sparked national debate about the wellbeing of education staff under the current Ofsted framework.

In an open letter released on the final day of Ofsted’s public consultation, a diverse group of senior educators, trade union leaders, former His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs), and mental health advocates expressed concern that the proposed reforms fall short of addressing systemic issues. They warned that the new measures could continue to have a detrimental impact on school staff wellbeing and carry a risk of further preventable tragedies.

The letter criticises the existing system for relying on a single-word judgement to summarise school performance—a method previously acknowledged by ministers as providing “low information for parents and high stakes for schools.” While the new proposals include removing this one-word rating and introducing report cards along with a revised grading structure, the critics argue these changes are largely cosmetic and fail to alleviate the intense pressure schools endure.

One of the coalition’s key demands is the establishment of a robust, independent complaints and appeals process. Currently, there is little recourse for schools to challenge inspection outcomes they view as unfair or damaging.

“Trust in the system needs to be restored,” the letter states. “The rushed and closed nature of the consultation has only made that worse.”

This public statement aligns with growing scrutiny from the Education Select Committee, which launched an inquiry into Ofsted in the wake of Ms Perry’s death and ongoing concerns about staff wellbeing in schools. Many voices within the education sector are advocating for a more compassionate, collaborative, and effective approach to school accountability.

The Department for Education has yet to respond to requests for comment regarding the coalition’s letter and the proposed reforms. The group’s message remains firm: the government should pause and engage more deeply with evidence and stakeholder perspectives before proceeding with changes that could add pressure to a system already described as being at breaking point.

Source: Noah Wire Services