Primary school headteachers in Suffolk are calling for urgent reform of the Ofsted inspection process following the death of headteacher Ruth Perry.
Their call comes following a meeting between Suffolk Primary Headteacher's Association and school leaders on March 21.
SPHA has sent a letter to Ofsted, which highlighted concerns, and also called for a review of how inspection findings are used outside the school system.
They questioned whether Ofsted was a 'force for good', after headteacher Ruth Perry took her life whilst waiting for a negative Ofsted result to be released.
Ruth Perry, the headteacher at Caversham Primary School in Reading who took her life in January while waiting for a downgraded Ofsted rating. Credit: Andrew Matthews / PA (Image: PA)
In a meeting held with the association and school leaders, leaders agreed that the system is 'inconsistent, damaging and discriminatory'.
Headteachers within the group highlighted a range of problems with the education regulators, including 'inconsistency between inspections' and 'the disproportionate and biased use of data' such as weight given to one pupil's words.
They also mentioned that one-word judgements 'hang heavy on the necks of professionals for years on end.'
Rebecca Leek, executive director at Suffolk Primary Headteacher's Association. Credit: SPHA (Image: SPHA)
The group was also clear that they would be supportive of any schools and school leaders that are considering peaceful and lawful protests when an inspection occurs.
They developed a list of actions that schools may wish to take should they face an inspection.
These include the wearing of black armbands when an inspection takes place, the presence of photographs or media articles on display in rooms used by inspectors relating to Ruth Perry and a minute's silence at the start of any inspection meeting, when there is an inspector present.
They have also suggested the saying of prayer for the school community, and for Ruth Perry's family, when an inspector is present.
A vigil for Ruth Perry was held outside the offices of Ofsted in London. Credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire (Image: Jonathan Brady / PA)
Other things suggested are the recording of concerns about the inspection system and its detrimental effect in the keeping in touch meetings held by inspectors with headteachers, insisting that staff be accompanied at all times in inspection meetings so one individual is not left alone with an inspector, and schools to reduce the mention of Ofsted on their school websites to the bare minimum, removing logos, banners and quotes.
School leaders are also encouraged to contact the association and other local school leaders for support if they receive a call from Ofsted to inform them of an inspection.
No schools have yet said whether they would refuse entry to Ofsted, as one did in Reading, but they have said that if there is nationwide support for that then some would get involved.
Following a meeting of primary headteachers on Tuesday regarding @Ofstednews we issue this follow up statement. We call for urgent reform. The current system is inconsistent, damaging and discriminatory. Please share widely. pic.twitter.com/h3LnlFBLCA
— Suffolk Primary Headteachers' Assocation (@Suffolk_PHA) March 23, 2023
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: "Ofsted should undertake an immediate review of the impact of inspections on the wellbeing of school and college leaders and staff.
Geoff Barton has said there should be a reform of Ofsted, and they should look at changing one-word judgments. Credit: Newsquest (Image: Newsquest)
"It must look at replacing the current system of graded judgements which reduce everything that a school or college does to a single blunt descriptor."
The National Education Union has been protesting in London, calling for Ofsted to be replaced.
They have handed in a petition to reform Ofsted to the Department for Education which is signed by 45,000 people.
Members of the National Education Union (NEU) led by Deputy General Secretary Niamh Sweeney, at Parliament Green, Westminster, before walking to the Department for Education to hand in a petition calling to reform Ofsted. Credit: PA Wire/Harry Stedman (Image: Harry Stedman/PA Wire)
Ofsted chief inspector Amanda Spielman acknowledged the debate about reforming inspections to remove grades "is a legitimate one", but insisted school checks aim to raise standards and should continue.
In a statement, she said that inspectors always aim to carry school inspections out with "sensitivity as well as professionalism."
She said: "I don’t believe that stopping or preventing inspections would be in children’s best interests."
She also said inspection grades allow parents to see a "simple and accessible summary of a school's strengths and weaknesses" and are used to guide Government decisions about when to intervene in struggling schools.
Amanda Spielman, chief inspector at Ofsted. Credit: Ofsted/PA Picture Desk (Image: PA)
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