Listen to this story Members can listen to an AI-generated audio version of this article. 1.0x Audio narration uses an AI-generated voice. 0:00 0:00 Become a member to listen to this article Subscribe Ofsted chief inspector Martyn Oliver should stand down, the country’s largest teaching union has said. Daniel Kebede, the National Education Union’s general secretary, said Oliver had “lost the confidence of the profession and it is time for him to go”. It comes after the ruling council of school leaders’ union ASCL passed a vote of no confidence in Ofsted’s leadership on Friday. According to a small internal NEU poll, the union found 98 per cent of surveyed members do not have confidence in the watchdog’s current leadership. Ofsted has faced mounting pressure from teaching and leadership unions amid growing reports that inspections continue to have a negative impact on teacher and leader wellbeing. The watchdog introduced its new education inspections late last year, in a bid to reduce the pressure school staff face. Martyn Oliver But according to Ofsted’s own research, almost nine in 10 schools say the new inspections are having a negative impact on staff wellbeing. Half said their inspection caused an unmanageable level of workload. Interim findings were published on Friday. The same day, the ruling council of school leaders’ union ASCL passed a vote of no confidence in Ofsted’s leadership. The NEU surveyed almost 7,000 members in English state schools overnight on Monday. Ninety-eight per cent said they did not have confidence in the current leadership of Ofsted. The NEU has hundreds of thousands of members in England. Of those surveyed, 96 per cent supported calls for an urgent review of Ofsted’s new inspection framework, introduced late last year, and the same proportion called for an “immediate pause” on Ofsted inspections. Ofsted has acknowledged “there is more to do” on workload and wellbeing, which “remain a challenge”. It said it is working with the Department for Education on this. Education secretary Lucy Powell is understood to be planning changes at the inspectorate “within the next few months”. Details have yet to be announced. ‘Time for him to go’ Kebede said Oliver “has lost the confidence of the profession and it is time for him to go. “The pressure of Ofsted needs to be lifted immediately and Ofsted inspections should be paused while a proper review of the inspection regime takes place.” He described the NEU survey findings as “stark and overwhelming”, adding they “show a profession united in demanding change”. Kebede also accused Ofsted of having “demonstrated an inability to listen to the impact of its new framework on teachers and leaders”. “These are committed, experienced professionals who work in excess of 50 hours per week – and Ofsted continues to add to that workload.” He said the scrapping of one-word judgments in September 2024, in the wake of the death of Caversham Primary School headteacher Ruth Perry, “was meant to signal a reset and re-balancing which simply hasn’t been delivered. “Ofsted casts a huge shadow over the education system and is perpetuating a climate of fear.” An Ofsted spokesperson said: “There is a delicate balancing act at the heart of our work – we must maintain high standards in the interests of children, while at the same time doing all we can to reduce the pressure felt by heads and teachers. “We know workload and wellbeing remain a challenge and there is more to do. We are working with the Department for Education, and listening both to parents and professionals, as we continue to improve inspections.” The Department for Education said it is working with Ofsted to make sure accountability is “fair” and “proportionate”. “Teachers and leaders are doing extraordinary work, often in the most challenging circumstances,” said a spokesperson. “Inspection and accountability are vital, but they must reflect the reality of what is happening in schools, recognise the context they are working in, and support improvement rather than add to the pressures they already face. “That’s why we are working with Ofsted and school leaders to ensure accountability is fair, proportionate and focused on helping every school get better, so every child gets the education they deserve.”
Nik venn 14 October 2026 Too much hoop jumping to see how high rather than determination of fit for purpose, the time it takes staff to tick all the boxes is wasted. Everytime a new area is identified it’s schools that implement more work no more pay e. g. HDPR, Safe guarding. Prevent, allergies, often any actual training is rushed, more concerned that boxes are ticked rather than improving things. Case I. Point had to watch a video for 44onites about epopens I passed the course but the opportunity to show different types of pen and actual examples was missed just a talking head video that would have been laughed out of the classroom if it was shown to year 11 students and I still don’t know what a hive is or what itooks like.. As soon as inspection is announced we have to ensure all the boxes are ticked whether it’s has any effect on the education or not
Peter kingham 14 October 2026 Unions and schools are on a campaign here. Why do they not accept schools need inspections and stop fretting about them.
Mark Finnigan 18 October 2026 Because lives have been lost and lives ruined and this can be directly attributed to inspection system which is punitive rather than supportive and collaborative. When you experience an Ofsted inspection the pressure and accountability is far more than other jobs. Yes inspect schools but do it collaborative and in supportive way. The new framework promised to do this but has clearly failed and the pressure and stress is even greater than it was which is saying something
Dr Andrew Gillies 15 October 2026 The number of complaints about Ofsted if seen in parent responses on an Ofsted inspection would raise serious concerns for the school being inspected. Ofsted should really place itself into special measures as a matter of urgency. Sadly the leaders of Ofsted seem to be determined to abide by their ‘we are right everyone else is wrong’ mentality.
Jon Pead 16 October 2026 As a headteacher in post for just 6 weeks, leading a team that had been so obviously traumatised during their last inspection where the school received an RI judgment, I can honestly say that my experience this week, regardless of outcome, was collaborative, transparent and fair. Of course it was challenging, of course it was stressful, but the team, and most importantly the HMI, took the time to listen and understand the context and journey of the school, me and the team. Last year, I began to lose my faith in the direction of educational leadership in this country – I was acting head of a good school moving in the right direction, when we merged with a large trust and overnight everything changed. No listening, no transparency, no understanding. My Ofsted inspection experience this week has restored my faith in the direction of education in this country. Yes the IDSR is important, as it should be – but the inspection was a triangulation of the kids experience. Not just KPIs. Don’t change it. Regardless of outcome, it’s resorted my faith in education more widely, let alone inspections.