Former chief inspector Dame Christine Gilbert is set to be appointed as the new chair of Ofsted, Schools Week understands.
Gilbert, who served as chief inspector of Ofsted between 2006 and 2011, last year led the independent review into the watchdog’s response to the death of headteacher Ruth Perry.
Schools Week also understands Ofsted will delay publishing its consultation response until the start of September. This had originally been promised “in the summer”.
Ofsted had mulled pushing back inspections after criticism over its plans, but decided to maintain rolling out new report cards in November.
But delaying the consultation response – which will outline formalise inspection plans – means schools will have even less time to see how inspections work before they face being inspected – a move likely to face strong criticism from unions.
But Gilbert’s has been welcomed. She published a damning report in September that found Ofsted’s response to Perry’s suicide appeared “defensive and complacent”.
Former senior HMI Adrian Gray said: “The Gilbert review raised a number of really important questions about the governance of Ofsted.”
He hoped Gilbert would bring “rigorous self-challenge”, which he feels remains “the big thing that’s missing in Ofsted”.
Gilbert called for Ofsted board to be ‘strengthened’
In her review, Gilbert made a string of recommendations for Ofsted. The watchdog is currently carrying out a widespread overhaul of the way it carries out inspections.
Gilbert found that following Perry’s death, the Ofsted board “had little or no involvement in determining the strategy for dealing with the crisis and communicating to the media and stakeholders”.
The board’s role “appears curiously limited, apparently leaving some of Ofsted’s most critical activities outside of its control”.
“This degree of autonomy and entitlement for HMCI does not make for effective governance.”
Gilbert said Ofsted should review its governance framework to “strengthen the role of the board with the aim of establishing constructive challenge to support Ofsted in its learning and reform”.
Phillipson: ‘Gilbert will bring strong challenge’
After her appointment was formally announced on Wednesday afternoon, Gilbert described it as “a privilege”, adding: “I’m very much looking forward to supporting Sir Martyn and Ofsted in their determination to raise standards, increase opportunities and improve lives.”
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said Gilbert “will bring a wealth of experience, knowledge and skills” to the role.
“Dame Christine will play a full part in ensuring the successful delivery of Ofsted reforms by bringing the strong challenge and support that all organisations need.”
Union leaders also welcomed Gilbert’s appointment.
NAHT general secretary Paul Whiteman said Gilbert will now have opportunity to “personally” address some of the concerns she identified about Ofsted’s “governance, performance and transparency”.
He said Gilbert “has a wealth of experience in the field of inspection and has shown a willingness to provide clear and constructive challenge to Ofsted”.
“It is critical that the Ofsted board under Christine is now allowed to exercise the crucial leadership role required of it and provide the strategic oversight and direction that has been so clearly lacking.”
NASUWT general secretary Matt Wrack and NEU general secretary Daniel Kebede also welcomed Gilbert’s appointment. The latter described it as “a constructive decision” by the education secretary, and “a significant step”.
Ofsted chief inspector Sir Martyn Oliver said: “I’m very happy to welcome Dame Christine and I look forward to working with her and the Board as we continue to develop Ofsted’s vitally important role.”
Dame Christine Ryan was previously chair of the Ofsted board, but left the role at the end of March following four-and-a-half years.
Star Academies chief executive Sir Hamid Patel has since been serving as interim Ofsted chair.
Gilbert, who will take up the role in September, previously spent 18 years working in schools as a teacher and headteachers. She has also served as director of education at Harrow council and at Tower Hamlets council, where she “led the dramatic turnaround in performance and quality of local schools” and rose to the role of chief executive.
She is also chair of the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF), and has been a visiting professor at UCL Institute of Education for more than a decade.
Gilbert has led and taken part in several service reviews, mostly in education but also including Baroness Casey’s damning 2023 review of the Metropolitan Police.
She was made a dame in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2022.
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