top inspections would not be in the best interests of the children, the head of the school watchdog said after calls for a halt following the death of headteacher Ruth Perry.
Ofsted Superintendent Amanda Spielman acknowledged that the debate over reforming inspections to remove grades “is a legitimate one”, but insisted that school inspections are intended to raise standards and should continue.
Three unions representing teachers and principals have urged Ofsted to suspend inspections this week Reading Borough Council also called for a pause while a review of the system is carried out.
Ms Perry, who was a head teacher at Caversham Primary School in Reading, committed suicide in January while awaiting an Ofsted report that downgraded her school to the lowest possible rating, her family said.
In a statement, Ms Spielman described Ms Perry’s death as “a tragedy” and said she was “deeply sorry” for the loss suffered by the principal’s family, friends and school community.
She said the news was “received with great sadness at Ofsted” and acknowledged that school inspections “can be challenging” as she said inspectors always strive to conduct them with “sensitivity and professionalism”.
She said: “The sad news about Ruth has sparked an understandable outburst of grief and anger among many people in education. Suggestions have been made to refuse to cooperate with inspections, and unions are calling for them to be stopped completely.
“I do not believe that stopping or preventing inspections would be in the best interests of children. Our goal is to raise standards so that all children receive a good education. It’s a goal we share with every teacher in every school.
“Inspection plays an important role. Among other things, it looks at what children are taught, assesses how good behavior is taught and managed, and checks that teachers know what to do if children are being abused or harmed.
Any changes to the current system should meet the needs of both parents and government. The right and proper outcome of Ofsted’s work is a better education system for our children
“We help parents understand how their child’s school is doing and we help schools understand their strengths and areas for improvement. It is important that that work continues.”
Ms Spielman said it is “undoubtedly a difficult time to be a headteacher” as school staff have worked during the pandemic to keep schools open “while keeping vulnerable children safe”.
She said the “wider debate about reforming inspections to scrap grades is legitimate” but added that it “shouldn’t lose sight of how grades are currently being used”.
She said inspection figures allow parents to see a “simple and accessible summary of a school’s strengths and weaknesses” and are used to guide government decisions about when to intervene in troubled schools.
She added: “Any change to the current system should meet the needs of both parents and government.
“The right and proper outcome of Ofsted’s work is a better education system for our children.
“That’s why we strive to do good while we’re at it – and to make inspections as collaborative and constructive as possible. We continue to focus on what inspections feel like for school staff and how we can further improve the way we work with schools.
“I’m always happy when we hear from schools that their inspection felt ‘done, not done’. That’s the kind of feedback I want to hear anyway.
“As teachers, school leaders and inspectors, we all work together in the best interest of children – and I am sure this principle will be the basis for all discussions about the future of inspection.”
Rebecca Leek, executive director of the Suffolk Headmasters’ Association, disagreed with Ms Spielman’s claims that inspectors always strive to carry out their work with feeling and professionalism.
She told PA news agency: “The experiences of school leaders are different.”
Meanwhile, the National Association of Headteachers union said the decision not to suspend inspections was “a terrible mistake” which “serves to reinforce the view that Ofsted is tin-eared and shows little regard for the welfare of school leaders”.
A brief pause in inspections to consider this issue seems like a very moderate request and would help Ofsted show the profession that it is listening
Paul Whiteman, general secretary, said “warm words and compassion” are welcome, but not enough and argued that this should be a “turning point” for “an entirely new approach to school inspection”.
He added: “School leaders want tangible actions to be taken to ease the intolerable pressure the current inspection regime is putting on everyone in schools, and they want to see those actions now.
“We are not against inspection per se, we just believe that a fairer, more humane approach is possible. We also think that parents would support a new approach.”
The National Education Union said replacing Ofsted with a new agency “would be good for kids”.
Deputy General Secretary Niamh Sweeney said: “What is not in the best interest of the children is for the headteachers to burn out and beloved class teachers to leave. What is not in the best interest of children is to plow through on the pretext that this is the only way to inspect schools.
“What would be in the best interests of children is to recognize that a motivated and thriving workforce is good for children. The inability to understand the connection in these times when everyone knows the value of positive workforce mental health speaks volumes.”
The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) said the union has asked Ofsted to suspend inspections rather than halt them completely, calling it “a very moderate request”.
General Secretary Geoff Barton said: “The death of Ruth Perry is an extreme example of the damage done by the high stakes of the inspection system, but the truth is that it often has a catastrophic effect on individuals.
“A brief pause in inspections to consider this issue seems like a very moderate request and would help Ofsted show the profession it is listening.”
In a letter to Ofsted on Wednesday, school and university leaders across Reading said they wanted the “appalling tragedy to mark a turning point” in the way school inspections are conducted by the watchdog.
The Reading Primary Heads Association and Reading Secondary and College Leaders are calling for an urgent review of inspections and the removal of the four head grades Ofsted assigns schools.
Schools have removed logos and references to Ofsted ratings from their websites as a show of solidarity with Ms Perry and Chiefs said they intend to stage peaceful protests – including wearing black clothing and armbands and displaying pictures of Ms Perry around the school – when Ofsted inspections take place.