Last week, the head of Ofsted and chief inspector of schools in England, took to Twitter. “The ad for my successor is out,” Amanda Spielman wrote. “I’ll be leaving this amazing job at the end of 2023, and if you think you have the experience, the energy and the commitment it needs, and want to work with our fantastic staff, apply here.”
Seven days later, the organisation she has led for six years has found itself at the centre of a public outcry. A headteacher has killed herself, according to her family, after an Ofsted inspection downgraded her school from “outstanding” to “inadequate”.
The family of Ruth Perry has acknowledged that the reasons behind someone taking their own life are never simple. Her story however has struck a chord with headteachers across the country, and has fuelled demand for change at Ofsted.
The National Education Union, which believes the inspectorate should be abolished, will this week hand in a petition to the Department for Education with over 40,000 signatures from across the profession demanding that it is replaced.
