Ofsted to pilot new complaints process to bring ‘greater independent oversight’

Ofsted is set to pilot a new complaints process that will “add greater independent oversight” when schools are unhappy about how the watchdog has handled a complaint.

Full details are yet to be publicly released, though chief inspector Martyn Oliver said the new process “will allow schools to seek a review of how their complaint was handled by Ofsted”.

It will also look at “whether the outcome of their complaint was reasonable, including where aspects were linked to inspection findings”.

But Julia Waters – whose sister, headteacher Ruth Perry, took her own life following an Ofsted inspection at her primary school – lambasted it as “barely an improvement”.

Waters, who has seen an overview of the plan, said Ofsted “would still be allowed to mark their own homework” under the new process.

Unions have welcomed the pilot in principle but say they await further detail, and that school leaders “will remain aggrieved” unless the complaints process is fully independent.

Recommended by Gilbert review

In the wake of Perry’s death, and a coroner’s ruling an Ofsted inspection had contributed to her death, Christine Gilbert carried out an independent review for Ofsted.

Among 14 recommendations Gilbert made in September 2024 was that Ofsted “should continue to improve its complaints procedure, with a focus on embedding an element of independent external oversight with the power to reopen inspection judgements”.

Currently, external body the Independent Complaints Adjudication Service for Ofsted (ICASO) reviews how the watchdog handles complaints about its work. But ICASO cannot change or overturn inspection grades.

Oliver revealed the imminent new pilot in a letter to the education committee.

He said the changes will build on those introduced in the wake of Perry’s death and “will add greater independent oversight to the process”.

He revealed Ofsted’s board – of which Gilbert has been chair since last September – approved the plan in June.

A pilot is set to run this academic year.

Ofsted declined to comment further, but more information about both the complaints process and pilot are expected soon.

‘Barely an improvement’

Waters, who has been campaigning for major changes to school accountability measures, described the plan to Schools Week as “terrible, barely an improvement on the current system”.

“It’s a cynical ploy by Ofsted to maintain control of the process and decisions and will do nothing to alleviate inspection-related distress,” she said. “In short, Ofsted would still be allowed to mark their own homework.”

Waters said she planned to raise her concerns about this when she met with education secretary Lucy Powell on Monday.

“Ofsted are still refusing to acknowledge the risks and continue to regard themselves as ‘exceptional’,” she said.

Ofsted declined to respond to this.

Powers to overturn grades?

Oliver was quizzed by the education committee on how plans for a more independent complaints process were progressing in June.

He said the new process “is about having an independent panel to consider our work”.

He added that Ofsted was “trying to work though” some “really serious complexities and costs”.

“In law, only the chief inspector can change the grade, so it is about working through the legal part of it,” he explained.

“We also have to deal with the fact that once a report is published… it becomes legal. You cannot change the grade without reinspecting all over again.”

It is not yet clear whether the new complaints process will include powers to reopen inspection judgements, as recommended by Gilbert.

Current system ‘not fit’

Schools Week understands unions are yet to see full details of the plans.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders’ union NAHT, said: “While it has taken longer than we would have liked, we are pleased that there is now a clear commitment to pilot changes to the process with a stronger role for independent scrutiny.’

He added that Ofsted’s “in-house” complaints process “is not fit for purpose and the lack of meaningful independence fails to inspire confidence among schools that their grievances will be dealt with fairly”.

But he said that under the new process, substantive complaints from schools about inspections and findings must be “considered independently from the outset – not merely as part of a review of how their complaint was handled”.

Full independence needed – union

Meanwhile Andy Jordan, inspection and accountability specialist at school leaders’ union ASCL, said: “The fact that Ofsted recognise that the process could be improved is welcome and we await more details on the changes.

“Until it is fully independent of the inspectorate however, school leaders will continue to remain aggrieved,” he added.

He pointed to Ofsted’s recent annual report, which showed 220 schools complained about their inspection between April 2025 and March 2026. This represented 5 per cent of the 4,640 inspections in that period.

Of them, just 67 (30 per cent) of complaints were at least partly upheld.

In the same period the previous year (2024-25), 310 complaints were received, relating to 4 per cent of inspections. Of them, 26 per cent had an aspect upheld.

Jordan said leaders “only complain as a last resort”, adding the figures show “growing dissatisfaction with the renewed framework and the way in which inspections are being carried out”.

“Ofsted complaints are rarely upheld, which adds an extra layer of frustration for school leaders when they feel that their inspection has not been carried out properly either in terms of processes, judgements or inspector conduct.”

Former senior inspector Frank Norris also “broadly welcome[s]” the move to greater independence, but stressed it “needs totally independent colleagues with a strong background in inspection”.

Norris said the new process must not rely purely on the evidence base provided by inspectors, but should also “involve speaking directly with the complainant”.

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