By Gavin Mackintosh-
In a scathing report by the Institute for Government, former government adviser Sam Freedman(pictured) has made recommendations, following concerns over the use of Ofsted inspections in schools.
The former adviser to Michael Gove cautioned ministers in his report not to wield schools in “too blunt a way” and calling for careful reform to address shortcomings in the system.
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The report also draws attention to the funding cuts faced by Ofsted, and the potential risks posed to the quality of inspections.
The paper asserts that the current approach to Ofsted inspections is overly simplistic, risking the deterrence of teachers from pursuing leadership roles due to the perceived harshness of the judgments.
The tragic death of former headteacher Ruth Perry attracted broad criticism from school leaders flawed present Ofsted system., which is hoped will change under the new system.
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At Perry’s inquest, held in December, the coroner ruled “that Ruth’s mental health deterioration and death was likely contributed to by the Ofsted inspection”, and issued recommendations for reform.
ASCL and NAHT have called for inspections to be paused until those recommendations have been met.
Earlier in the year, the largest teachers’ union, the NEU – a long-standing critic of the way schools are held accountable – set up an organisation called Beyond Ofsted, chaired by former Labour schools minister Lord Knight, which has proposed removing it completely from direct contact with schools.
Headteacher unions ASCL and NAHT have reported their relationship with Ofsted is at a low point. The report says there was anger that inspections, paused during the height of the pandemic, restarted as early as autumn 2021, while schools were still feeling the effects of the crisis.
Freedman recommends an immediate halt to interventions based solely on ‘requires improvement’ judgments, suggesting that ministers should provide more detailed criteria for intervention to offer reassurance to school leaders.
Ofsted, responsible for assessing the quality of education in schools, has experienced significant budget cuts over the years, falling from £185 million in 2010-11 to £130 million in 2018-19.
The report emphasizes that these cuts put the quality of inspections at risk, especially as ministers increasingly rely on these assessments to make decisions about headteachers.
It comes on the heels of a recent tragedy where headteacher Ruth Perry’s death was ruled to have been contributed to by an Ofsted inspection at Caversham Primary School.
The coroner’s ruling has prompted a “prevention of future deaths” report, demanding responses from Ofsted and the Department for Education by early February.
Recommendations For Reform
Sam Freedman’s report offers a comprehensive set of recommendations for reform, both for Ofsted and the Department for Education.
It also offers swift action to address concerns highlighted in the Ruth Perry inquest, focusing on inspector training and support for school leaders.
Further recommended in the report is commissions independent studies on the reliability of inspections, with additional funding from the Department for Education.
Ofsted is advised to cease intervention based on two ‘requires improvement’ judgments, reducing stress for school leaders, and provide detailed criteria for intervention to reassure school leaders.
Allocate adequate resources for high-quality inspections.
Consider broader reform proposals as part of a comprehensive review of the regulatory system for schools.
The tragic outcome following Ruth Perry’s inspection has this year been a reminder of the real-world consequences of the flawed present Ofsted system., which is hoped will change under the new system.
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