Ofsted has agreed to gather more feedback from school leaders on inspections’ impact on their wellbeing, as part of a deal with heads that will see a new “independent advisory group” launched.
Unions have repeatedly warned Ofsted’s new education inspection framework (EIF), which assesses schools across more areas than before, means more pressure on leaders.
The National Association of Head Teachers had been mulling industrial action over Ofsted’s five-point grading scale, after its application for a judicial review was thrown out by the High Court last year. The EIF was launched in November.
But Schools Week understands the agreements reached with Ofsted this week have put plans for further action on ice.
The inspectorate will add further questions on wellbeing to its existing survey of leaders about the new framework. The questions are still being drawn up.
New advisory group planned
The data, collected from a representative sample of schools, will then be scrutinised by an advisory group set up by the NAHT.
Ofsted and the Department for Education have agreed to be permanent members. Representatives are also expected from school leaders’ union ASCL and the Confederation of School Trusts (CST).
The chair will be Sinéad Mc Brearty, chief executive of charity Education Support and author of a damning independent wellbeing assessment of Ofsted’s reform plans, issued last year.
They will review new data and “identify actions that could further support mental health and wellbeing before, during, and after inspection”, the NAHT said.
They will also consider support schools receive post-inspection through the government’s RISE school improvement programme, and how this affects leaders’ wellbeing.
Martyn Oliver: Tone of inspections ‘more positive’
Ofsted’s chief inspector Sir Martyn Oliver has painted a positive picture of feedback on new inspections.
Speaking at the Sixth Form Colleges Association’s AGM yesterday, he said feedback “paints an encouraging picture of a process that is, in the words of those who have experienced it, ‘not softer, not easier, but fairer.”
“We hear a great deal about the tone of inspections now being more positive.”
But NAHT general secretary Paul Whiteman said: “It is crucial that we have independent data that gives clear and honest feedback from leaders who have experienced inspection.”
He said NAHT “look[s] forward to working with Ofsted and DfE officials” to “ensure that school leader wellbeing is being prioritised and action taken to support and protect them”.
Steve Rollett, CST deputy chief executive, also welcomed Ofsted’s and DfE’s commitment to “working with the sector to understand the impact of inspection and RISE support on leaders”.
Leaders report heightened stress
However, ASCL is concerned the new regime puts “a huge amount of stress on school and college leaders and their staff”, according to general secretary Pepe Di’Iasio.
This is “damaging wellbeing and deterring the next generation” of staff, he added.
“It’s vital that we work together across the profession to look at ways we can improve the inspection process, and the health and wellbeing of everybody involved must be at the forefront.”
Improved leader and teacher wellbeing was supposed to be a focus of Ofsted’s reforms, drawn up following the suicide of headteacher Ruth Perry.
But Mc Brearty’s independent wellbeing report last year warned new report cards spell more anxiety for leaders with already “concerningly high” stress levels.
Leader anxiety and stress will “in many (though not all) cases, spillover and increase pressure on staff teams to perform well in inspection”.
Leaders who have been through new-style inspections have also expressed concerns the new framework – which sees schools graded on a five-point scale across a minimum of six evaluation areas – does not reduce pressure.
Ofsted ‘keen to gather independent data’
Oliver said the inspectorate was “keen to gather independent data so we can see where any improvements can be made”.
“That improvement works best when inspectors and school leaders are all pushing in the same direction,” he said. “We want to hear feedback, make improvements and work together to secure a better future for children.”
Ofsted wants to ensure success by “raising standards for children, providing new-look report cards for parents and being fairer to professionals”.
The inspectorate already collects leaders’ views through post-inspection surveys. It uses this to give “first-hand feedback” to inspectors and their managers, and publicly publishes a summary of responses.
But analysis has previously shown schools awarded higher grades are typically more likely to take part in the surveys, and to be positive about their inspection experience.
Ofsted will continue to run these surveys.
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