As reported by the Guardian, England’s headteachers are calling for an end to Ofsted’s school grading system, arguing that the inspection process is continuing to take a serious toll on school leaders’ wellbeing
The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) says it has passed numerous accounts to Education Secretary Lucy Powell describing the impact of inspections since the revised framework was introduced a year ago.
According to the union, some leaders have experienced severe distress during the process, with members reporting anxiety, emotional exhaustion and staff becoming tearful during inspections. One headteacher was said to have required professional counselling following an inspection.
NAHT general secretary Paul Whiteman said the new approach had left some school leaders and teachers feeling “anxious, overwhelmed and demoralised”, arguing that it had failed to deliver the improvement in experience promised when the previous system was replaced.
The union is calling for Ofsted to stop awarding overall grades to schools, saying the consequences of inspection can extend well beyond the inspection itself.
Ofsted has disputed the suggestion that the new system is broadly damaging, saying it has received positive feedback from many school leaders who describe inspections as more collaborative and constructive.
The inspectorate is also preparing to publish independent research examining how the revised framework is operating in practice.
The findings are expected to provide further evidence on whether the changes have achieved their intended aim of making inspections more constructive for schools.
