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The 8 Ofsted inspection changes following Ruth Perry’s death

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Summary

Following the death of headteacher Ruth Perry, Ofsted has proposed changes to their inspection system in order to respond to fierce criticism. These changes include a faster re-inspection process for schools that failed on safeguarding, the potential to revoke academy orders, clarification on effective safeguarding, an overhaul of the complaints process, more information provided to schools about when they will be inspected, permission for heads to share draft report findings, de-personalised language in reports, and an expansion of the heads' wellbeing service.

Q&As

What changes has Ofsted proposed to respond to criticism?
Ofsted has proposed an overhauled complaints procedure, earlier re-visits for schools failed on safeguarding, greater clarity on when inspectors will call, faster re-inspections for safeguarding failures, and academy orders can be revoked.

How will schools with 'inadequate' Ofsted ratings be treated?
If a school is judged to have “successfully” dealt with safeguarding concerns during its monitoring visit, a new inspection report and grade will be issued. While an academy order will be issued after the first inspection as usual, government has committed that no action will actually be taken on it until the re-inspection.

What new clarity is Ofsted providing on effective safeguarding?
Ofsted will update the inspection handbook to “offer schools greater clarity about the threshold for effective versus ineffective safeguarding”. Ofsted will also publish regular blogs and host webinars on the issue, with inspector training also reflecting the clarification. Ineffective safeguarding will also be described “more clearly” in reports to help “reassure parents and others that these judgments are not made lightly”.

What are the proposed changes to Ofsted's complaints process?
Ofsted has launched a formal consultation on significant changes to the way it handles complaints about inspections. It is proposing to replace its current internal review process with a direct escalation to the Independent Complaints Adjudication Service for Ofsted (ICASO). It has also proposed to allow schools to contact Ofsted the day after an inspection if they have “unresolved concerns”.

How is the DfE expanding its mental health and wellbeing offer for school leaders?
The DfE has expanded provision offered through the government-funded teacher wellbeing charity Education Support. Its helpline offers emotional support to staff through qualified counsellors. The DfE said over 1,000 heads had benefited already from £760,000 of investment. Further funding of up to £380,000 will double the number expected to benefit over the next year from 500 to 1,000. In the longer term, the DfE said it “commits” to a further expansion of its mental health and wellbeing offer beyond this date.

AI Comments

👍 This article provides an incredibly comprehensive overview of the changes proposed by Ofsted following the tragic death of headteacher Ruth Perry. It is great to see the DfE expanding provision offered through the government-funded teacher wellbeing charity Education Support to offer emotional support to staff through qualified counsellors.

👎 Although the proposed changes outlined in this article are well-intentioned, the underlying issues with Ofsted's accountability system remain unresolved. There is still a lack of clarity on when inspectors will call, and the proposed changes may not be enough to alleviate the pressures placed on school leaders.

AI Discussion

Me: It's about the 8 Ofsted inspection changes following Ruth Perry's death. It follows an outpouring of anger towards the watchdog, which has been brewing since March following news of the death of headteacher Ruth Perry. The changes include faster re-inspections for safeguarding failures, the ability to revoke academy orders if a school is able to resolve safeguarding concerns, ‘greater clarity’ on effective safeguarding, an overhauled complaints procedure, earlier re-visits for schools failed on safeguarding, and more.

Friend: Wow, that's a lot of changes. What do you think the implications of these changes will be?

Me: I think these changes will provide more support to school leaders, help make the accountability system more effective, and provide more clarity around safeguarding. It also shows that the government is taking the issue of school safety seriously, and is willing to take action to ensure the safety of students and teachers. Additionally, I think the changes will help to ensure that schools are held accountable for their actions and are providing a safe learning environment for students and staff.

Action items

Reach out to Education Support to learn more about their confidential helpline for education staff and teachers.
Read the Ofsted consultation document and provide feedback on the proposed changes.
Attend one of the Ofsted webinars to better understand elements of inspection and address areas of anxiety.

Technical terms

Ofsted: The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) is the non-ministerial government department of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools in England.
DfE: The Department for Education (DfE) is the government department responsible for education and children's services in England.
Safeguarding: Safeguarding is the process of protecting people from harm, abuse, neglect and exploitation.
Academy Order: An academy order is a legal document issued by the Department for Education (DfE) to a school or local authority that requires the school to become an academy.
Warning Notice: A warning notice is a formal document issued by the Department for Education (DfE) to a school or local authority that requires the school to take action to address a particular issue.
Inspection Handbook: The inspection handbook is a document published by Ofsted that outlines the inspection process and criteria for judging schools.
Independent Complaints Adjudication Service for Ofsted (ICASO): The Independent Complaints Adjudication Service for Ofsted (ICASO) is an independent body that reviews complaints about Ofsted inspections.
Samaritans: Samaritans is a charity that provides emotional support to people in distress.
Education Support: Education Support is a charity that provides emotional support to education staff and teachers.