England Headteachers Call for Halt to Graded Ofsted Inspections Over Health Concerns

LONDON — Headteachers in England are calling for graded Ofsted inspections to be suspended, warning that the current inspection framework is placing significant pressure on school leaders and teachers and contributing to serious concerns about their wellbeing.

The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) has presented Education Secretary Lucy Powell with numerous accounts from members describing distress linked to inspections introduced under the new framework. The union is calling for an independent review and has urged the government to temporarily halt graded inspections while the system is assessed.

The new framework, introduced a year ago, replaced Ofsted’s previous single headline grades with report cards that assess schools across multiple areas. The reforms followed concerns about the impact of high-stakes inspections, particularly after an inquest found that an Ofsted inspection contributed to the deterioration of the mental health of headteacher Ruth Perry, who died by suicide in 2023.

According to an NAHT survey of more than 5,000 members, 72 percent of respondents said the direction of travel on school inspections had worsened during the previous year. The union said one-third described the situation as having “greatly worsened”, while 39 percent said it had worsened.

Amanda Hulme, headteacher of Claypool Primary School in Bolton, said a recent inspection was the most stressful experience of her career. She reported difficulties sleeping and increased blood pressure and pulse rate, and said the experience had prompted her to consider early retirement. She also said some colleagues had become reluctant to pursue headship and another teacher was considering leaving the profession.

NAHT General Secretary Paul Whiteman said feedback from school leaders indicated that the new framework was creating anxiety and demoralisation. The union has proposed replacing graded inspections with shorter narrative reports outlining schools’ strengths and areas for development.

Ofsted, however, has defended the reforms. The watchdog said it had worked with teaching unions over the past three years to reduce unnecessary pressure on teachers and that many school leaders had reported inspections becoming more collaborative and constructive. Ofsted also said it would continue grading schools and plans to publish independent research assessing how the new framework is working.

Education Secretary Lucy Powell has said she takes teacher and headteacher wellbeing seriously while maintaining that an accountability system is necessary to support school improvement. She has expressed support for developing an approach that is more supportive and understanding of school leaders.

The dispute comes as the new inspection framework approaches its first anniversary, with the government facing calls to examine whether the revised system is achieving its intended objective of maintaining school accountability while reducing the pressures associated with inspections.