Ofsted to Resume Inspections After 2-Week Pause Due to Headteacher’s Suicide
The new chief inspector also disclosed that Ofsted would post a full reply to the coroner’s recommendations, while union leaders were ‘pleased’ with the ‘constructive’ dialog.
School and further education (FE) inspections will restart on Jan. 22, as announced by Ofsted on Friday.
According to His Majesty’s Chief Inspector (HMCI) of education, children’s services, and skills, Sir Martyn Oliver, Jan. 22 “is the right date to restart school and FE inspections” and it “will allow all inspectors to begin the training ahead of then, and gives us time to make sure that every single lead inspector on a school or FE inspection, will have completed it.”
Oliver emphasized the role of inspections in ensuring that children and learners receive the education and care that they need and deserve, and the need to return to that work quickly. However, he also stressed the importance of reflecting on the coroner’s findings and learning from the tragic events of last year to become a better and more effective inspectorate, trusted by parents and respected by the education and social care professionals. He described training as “a critical first step” in reassuring education sectors that the watchdog is “serious about change.”
It was also announced that Ofsted would provide a full response to the coroner’s recommendations on Jan. 19, outlining how it will conduct inspections with professionalism, courtesy, respect, and empathy.
The school took her own life in January 2023 after her school, Caversham Primary, was downgraded from “outstanding” to “inadequate.”
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Coroner Heidi Connor found that an Ofsted inspection carried out in November 2022 had contributed to the headteacher’s suicide.
Friday’s announcement came as Sir Martyn and Ofsted Chair Dame Christine Ryan met with sector body and union leaders including Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), and Leora Cruddas, CEO of the Confederation of School Trusts.
Mr. Barton said he’s “encouraged” by the meeting, which provided “an opportunity to reflect on the concerns raised in the coroner’s report following the inquest into the death of Ruth Perry, discuss how relations between Ofsted and the profession can be reset, give reassurance to leaders that the resumption of inspection will not simply be ‘business as usual,’ and start to consider the need for the longer-term reforms.”
Mr. Whiteman said he’s “pleased” with the meeting, saying it was “more than a courtesy.”
“I felt that for the first time in far too long Ofsted took seriously the concerns of NAHT members,” he said.
“It’s early days but both HMCI, Sir Martyn Oliver, and Ofsted Chair, Dame Christine Ryan, demonstrated a deep understanding of our members’ concerns and a determination to work with us to identify solutions,” he said.
“These are early days and NAHT members will judge progress on actions and not words. To that end we have started today to agree immediate actions to bring confidence and space to discuss longer term reform.”
Ms. Cruddas also said she’s “pleased,” adding that the conversations had been “very positive and signal a change in practice, tone and culture.”
Rachel Roberts contributed to this report.
