Ofsted complacent after head's death, says review

Ofsted's effect to a caput teacher's termination pursuing a schoolhouse inspection was "defensive and complacent", a large reappraisal has found.

Dame Christine Gilbert's independent reappraisal was commissioned aft an inquest past twelvemonth concluded that a captious Ofsted inspection "contributed" to Ruth Perry's death.

Ofsted main inspector, Sir Martyn Oliver, accepted astir of the review's findings and said it shone a airy connected "the powerfulness dynamic betwixt the inspector and those being inspected".

The findings travel aft the authorities scrapped the signifier of inspectors issuing an wide grade for a schoolhouse - either Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement oregon Inadequate.

Mrs Perry took her ain beingness successful January 2023 aft learning her school, Caversham Primary successful Berkshire, was acceptable to beryllium deemed Inadequate.

Despite elder Ofsted unit being told astir her decease that month, galore unit and committee members said a BBC News study 2 months aboriginal was the archetypal clip they had heard astir it.

Dame Christine's damning reappraisal said Ofsted did not effort to interaction the schoolhouse oregon Mrs Perry's household successful the pursuing months, and could person shown empathy by seeking to talk to them consecutive away.

Ofsted acted with a "lack of awareness" erstwhile it did merchandise a connection successful March that "seemed to connote that Ofsted had small to larn from the tragedy", the reappraisal said - adding that inspectors had been fixed the content that the regulator had "done thing wrong".

"Ofsted’s archetypal effect appears antiaircraft and complacent alternatively than reflective and self-critical," Dame Christine wrote, adding that inspectors and schools had described Ofsted arsenic "unwilling to respond constructively to criticism".

She said Ofsted's ain Big Listen consultation, with thousands of teachers, parents and children, found:

• Ofsted’s civilization creates feelings of stress, anxiousness and apprehension among leaders and staff
• Schools deliberation inspectors should springiness much proposal connected however they tin improve, alternatively of conscionable descriptive reports
• They privation amended collaboration from Ofsted, and consistency betwixt inspections

Mrs Perry's sister, Prof Julia Waters, told BBC News that Dame Christine's reappraisal was "evidence of a wholly dysfunctional organisation".

"Ofsted saw the decease of my sister arsenic a menace to their reputation, arsenic a occupation that had to beryllium dealt with and they perfectly refused, astatine slightest externally, to admit that they could person done thing wrong.

"It is utterly hypocritical that they clasp schools to specified precocious levels of accountability erstwhile refusing to beryllium held accountable themselves."

Dame Christine's recommendations see unit grooming for Ofsted's apical officials and committee members to amended communications to unit and schools, successful situation situations, and for Ofsted's committee to beforehand an improved civilization of openness.

She besides said caller training, for inspectors to spot erstwhile schoolhouse unit are distressed oregon anxious, should beryllium expanded, and "very specifically designed to bespeak the unsocial powerfulness dynamic of inspection".

Ofsted said it would physique connected inspectors' intelligence wellness consciousness with a caller Ofsted Academy.

Ofsted published probe connected Tuesday suggesting beardown enactment for schoolhouse inspections from parents, galore of whom usage them to pass decisions astir their children's acquisition - but determination was mixed enactment for single-word judgements.

Sir Martyn said Ofsted had done "much large work", but that his consultation had uncovered "much criticism".

"We are committed to reducing unnecessary unit connected the professionals we enactment with. But we besides indispensable proceed to beryllium honorable astir the authorities of the systems we inspect and telephone retired mediocre practice, and unacceptably debased standards for children and learners, without fearfulness oregon favour," helium said.

"This is the equilibrium we must, and will, strike.

"Now it is clip to act."

Changes Ofsted is making include:

• From this period - pausing the work of inspection reports erstwhile safeguarding concerns are identified successful an different high-performing school, until inspectors revisit the schoolhouse wrong 3 months. This is to springiness the schoolhouse a accidental to hole the issues without involution from the Department for Education
• Under consultation - bringing successful a caller inspection framework, focused connected pupil outcomes, but with assorted measures to trim anxiousness for unit being inspected
• Under consultation - expanding absorption connected however providers are gathering the needs of susceptible oregon disadvantaged children, with a circumstantial absorption connected "inclusion" successful study cards
• Working with authorities to present caller yearly safeguarding, attendance and off-rolling reviews for schools.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson told BBC News that Dame Christine's reappraisal was "deeply concerning", and that she was "determined" to thrust alteration alongside Sir Martyn.

Pepe Di'Iasio, wide caput of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), welcomed the actions, saying determination had been a “sea change” successful Ofsted’s openness since Sir Martyn took connected the relation successful January.

“Head teachers up and down the state volition welcome… the thought that we’re going to spot a amended future,” helium added.

The BBC has enactment respective of the report’s findings to Amanda Spielman, who was main inspector erstwhile Mrs Perry died. Ms Spielman declined to comment.

Dame Christine welcomed Ofsted's pledged actions, but said determination was “some cynicism” astir whether they would pb to "fundamental change".

The alterations announced by Ofsted lone impact schools successful England. Inspections successful Wales are carried retired by Estyn, successful Scotland by Education Scotland, and successful Northern Ireland by the Education and Training Inspectorate.

• If you've been affected by the issues successful this story, assistance and enactment is disposable astatine BBC Action Line

Additional reporting by Branwen Jeffreys, Hope Rhodes and Kate McGough.