NAHT calls for graded Ofsted inspections to be scrapped over risk to life
The teaching union NAHT says graded Ofsted inspections remain a risk to life and should be scrapped, after changes failed to ease pressure on school leaders.
The Full Story
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Teaching union NAHT calls for graded Ofsted inspections to be scrapped
The National Association of Head Teachers has warned that graded Ofsted inspections remain a risk to life and should be scrapped. The union says last year's changes to inspections in England have not eased the pressure on school leaders.
Ofsted changed its system after Caversham primary head Ruth Perry took her own life while waiting for an Ofsted report to be published. An inquest found the inspection contributed to her death. The watchdog moved from a single grading to a report card system, with separate grades for different parts of school life and summaries giving more detail.
The NAHT says the new system is not working. It describes inspection as a basic health and safety issue. The union says people are being made very unwell, are leaving the profession in large numbers, and that some have had suicidal thoughts because of inspection.
The union said: 'This is a basic health and safety issue. People are being made very unwell, so unwell that they're leaving the profession in huge numbers. We are losing talent every day that goes by because of the impact of inspection. And we know of one tragedy that is pinned on inspection absolutely, but we also know of others that have been made increasingly unwell and others that have had suicidal thoughts because of inspection too. That should raise a big warning flag for the government. It's been going on for far too long and it has to stop.'
Ofsted said it had worked closely with teaching unions to deliver significant reforms to how inspections work, but it will continue to grade schools. Earlier this month, Education Secretary Lucy Powell said she would work with headteachers to make sure the inspection system was right.
The NAHT wants the government to scrap graded inspections and to carry out a fundamental review of how the system works. In the meantime, it wants short reports that set out successes and areas for development. The call is part of a wider union campaign covering workload and headteachers' pay. It follows the government's announcement last week of an extra half a billion pounds towards teachers' salaries.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC One |
|---|---|
| Ofsted stated that it will keep grading schools. | |
| The NAHT warned that graded Ofsted inspections remain a risk to life and called for them to be scrapped and for a fundamental review of the system. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
BBC ONE West led with the NAHT warning that graded Ofsted inspections are still a risk to life and should be scrapped. It grounded the story in Ruth Perry's death and the switch to a report card system, then carried Ofsted's response and the Education Secretary's earlier commitment. The bulletin framed the union call as part of a wider campaign on workload and head pay.
- “This is a basic health and safety issue. People are being made very unwell, so unwell that they're leaving the profession in huge numbers.”
- “And we know of one tragedy that is pinned on inspection absolutely, but we also know of others that have been made increasingly unwell and others that have had suicidal thoughts because of inspection too.”
- “Ofsted told us it has worked closely with teaching unions to deliver significant reforms to how inspections work, but we will continue to grade schools.”
Broadcast Timeline
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