Ofsted and Ruth Perry: MPs to hold inquiry into school inspections

MPs are launching an enquiry into Ofsted's schoolhouse inspections, looking astatine however utile they are to parents, governors and schools successful England.

The termination of caput teacher Ruth Perry led to a statement astir however Ofsted works.

Education Select Committee president Robin Walker said Ofsted had an important role, but determination had been a "notable groundswell of criticism".

The enquiry - by cross-party MPs connected the committee - volition not look astatine the circumstances astir Ruth Perry's death. Those volition beryllium examined afloat successful an inquest aboriginal this year.

She took her ain beingness portion waiting for work of a study downgrading Caversham Primary School from Outstanding to Inadequate implicit however it kept children harmless astatine school.

MPs volition see however inspections impact the workload and wellbeing of schoolhouse unit and pupils, and what publication its reports marque to helping schools improve.

Among the issues apt to beryllium discussed are the existent strategy of awarding 1 wide people to a school, and whether it is close to automatically deem a schoolhouse arsenic inadequate if inspectors rise concerns astir kid welfare.

Mr Walker said keeping children harmless was a captious portion of inspection but "ensuring that inspections are proportionate, timely and tenable is indispensable to physique trust", particularly aft Mrs Perry's death.

Mrs Perry's sister, Prof Julia Waters, said she was delighted determination would beryllium a "proper probe into the inspection system" that would "hold Ofsted to account".

Parents, schoolhouse governors, teachers and unions volition beryllium capable to taxable evidence, alongside the authorities and Ofsted itself.

The committee volition besides look astatine the complaints process, which schools accidental has made it astir intolerable to situation a judgement.

On Monday, Ofsted announced a bid of changes successful effect to concerns raised, including escalating complaints much rapidly to an autarkic adjudicator.

Chief inspector Amanda Spielman has defended Ofsted's enactment arsenic indispensable for children's champion interests.

She is owed to measurement down this year, and a caller main inspector volition instrumentality over.

Mr Walker said the enquiry could supply a "rounded, nuanced examination" of Ofsted, to pass the enactment of her successor.

Watch the communicative of caput teacher, Ruth Perry, who took her beingness aft her school's standing was downgraded by Ofsted.