A series of interim steps to make Ofsted inspection safer have been published alongside proposed radical longer term reforms to create a “fair and humane” system for schools.
The blueprint for school inspection in England has been set out by the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), which represents more than 35,000 school leaders.
It comes as school inspections are due to restart on Monday (January 22) after being suspended to allow for urgent mental health training for inspectors following the damning Ruth Perry inquest verdict.
Interim steps proposed by the NAHT include reverting to ungraded inspections, like those conducted at the height of the pandemic, for all schools except those causing concern. During this period, inspections should move to 48-hour notice periods, too.
There must also be a “mechanism” for school leaders to halt an inspection “where inspector conduct, or practice fails to meet required standards”.
