New Ofsted grading worse for wellbeing - headteachers

The new system of grading is set to be introduced by Ofsted in November

Almost two thirds of headteachers say the new Ofsted school inspections will be worse for their wellbeing than the old system, a poll has found.

Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said the findings are "deeply worrying".

Ofsted confirmed earlier this month it would push ahead with the new report cards, which include a five-point grading scale across multiple areas, from November.

Single-word judgments for schools were scrapped last year following criticism of the inspection system since the death of Caversham headteacher Ruth Perry.

Mrs Perry took her own life after an Ofsted report downgraded her Caversham Primary School in Reading from its highest rating of "outstanding" to its lowest rating, "inadequate", over safeguarding concerns.

Professor Julia Walters, sister of Ms Perry, said Ofsted's new plans "still put school leaders at risk of public shaming", and urged the Education Secretary to halt the rollout.

The survey of 1,080 school and college leaders in England found 74% of headteachers said they were not satisfied with Ofsted's new inspection system.

Additionally, 80% said the timeline for the reforms does not give them enough time to prepare for the changes.

"It is important to remember that these changes have been brought in following the suicide of a headteacher under the previous inspection system," Mr Di'Iasio said.

"The fact that the majority of school and college leaders believe the new system will be even worse for their wellbeing is therefore deeply worrying."

"On top of the human toll, there is the fact that this will deter people from becoming leaders and teachers, exacerbating a deep and chronic recruitment and retention crisis.

"There was an opportunity here to make a real difference to the working lives of educators.

"Instead, that opportunity has been squandered, and we're faced with a continuation of the bad old days dressed up in a new set of adjectives."

Just over one in five (22%) headteachers said they felt the new report cards were fairer than schools being given single-word judgments.

The ASCL said it is now consulting with members on its executive committee and council over next steps.

Parents overall seem to have been more positive, with seven out of 10 surveyed by YouGov saying they preferred the new report cards to Ofsted's current system.

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