Ruth Perry’s sister: Ofsted needs ‘big change’ or consultation is waste of time

Ofsted needs to make a “big change” or its consultation exercise will be a “big waste of time”, the sister of Ruth Perry has said.

Ahead of Sir Martyn Oliver’s first major speech since becoming Ofsted chief inspector, Professor Julia Waters said school inspections were continuing under “high-stakes fault finding and reductionist single-word judgments”.

The sister of Mrs Perry added this may “still be putting the welfare of teachers at risk” and that the education watchdog’s relations with schools and teachers had “reached rock bottom”.

Ofsted has come under greater scrutiny in the past year following the suicide of headteacher Mrs Perry, who took her own life after an Ofsted report downgraded her Caversham Primary School in Reading from its highest rating to its lowest over safeguarding concerns.

In December, a coroner concluded the Ofsted inspection on November 15-16 in 2022 “likely contributed” to Mrs Perry’s death.

Sir Martyn will tell the annual conference of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) in Liverpool that he is serious about the watchdog “doing better” as he launches a major “Big Listen” consultation into its future direction.

The Education Secretary said Ofsted “wants to improve” and that the consultation was an “important opportunity” to strengthen the role it plays in the education and social care system.

In a statement, Professor Julia Waters said: “It is understandable that the chief inspector should want a fresh relationship with schools and teachers, because it has clearly reached rock bottom.

“Listening to the concerns of teachers, parents and others is a good start, but for a genuine reset to happen Ofsted will need to do more than just listen.

“I would encourage people to take this opportunity to have their say. Ofsted already has lots of evidence from the Education Committee report and elsewhere that shows what it needs to do.

“In the meantime, school inspections are continuing under the old system of high-stakes fault finding and reductionist single-word judgments, which may still be putting the welfare of teachers at risk.

“Sir Martyn will need to move from a Big Listen to a big change pretty quickly, or this exercise will be a big waste of time.”

The general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU) Daniel Kebede said Ofsted was “not fit for purpose” and that the “tyranny” of its inspection regime had created a “climate of fear”.

Commenting on the launch of the watchdog’s consultation, Mr Kebede said: “We are a long way away from Ofsted fixing its reputation.

“Only root and branch reform will end the tyranny of the inspection regime and the climate of fear it creates. Anything short of that will amount to rebrand rather than reform.

“The NEU believes that Ofsted is not fit for purpose and must be replaced with a new system of inspection that is supportive, effective and fair, like the one proposed by the recent Beyond Ofsted inquiry.

“Bringing expertise rather than judgment would help protect the wellbeing of teaching staff, which would in turn help ensure children and young people from all backgrounds thrive in school.

“To only point out what schools are not doing when they do not have the resources to do what is needed – including support for SEND – is both unhelpful and damaging.”

Paul Whiteman, the general secretary at school leaders’ union NAHT, said Ofsted’s current inspection regime had caused “untold harm” to the mental health and wellbeing of school leaders and their staff.

He called for an end to “blunt single-word grades”, adding they can “cause so much damage to schools and their staff”.

Commenting on the consultation, Mr Whiteman said: “We welcome the chief inspector’s openness to change at Ofsted and are hopeful this consultation will build on our early conversations about the fundamental reform which is so desperately needed.

“The current inspection regime has caused untold harm to the mental health and wellbeing of school leaders and their staff, adding to stress and workload while often failing to give a fair or balanced judgment on schools’ strengths and weaknesses.

“School leaders are passionate about helping all children, including the most vulnerable, to flourish. Ofsted has too often hindered rather than helped them in this mission.

“We are clear that far-reaching reform is needed, including an end to the blunt single-word grades which can cause so much damage to schools and their staff.”

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said: “I am pleased Sir Martyn Oliver is launching the Big Listen, which is an important opportunity to strengthen the central role Ofsted play in our education and social care system.

“Ofsted wants to improve, and it wants to listen. I hope as many people as possible take part, as we continue to work alongside them to raise standards for children across the board.”