The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) has become the second major union to demand a suspension of graded school inspections in England, escalating pressure on the regulator amid concerns over staff welfare. The union described the current grading framework as an “overbearing mess” and warned that industrial action could follow if the government does not intervene.
Pepe Di’Iasio, the ASCL’s general secretary, stated that the union had passed a motion of no confidence in Ofsted’s leadership, arguing that its ability to remedy the damage caused by the new system was insufficient. He emphasized that while regulators had offered “warm words” regarding wellbeing pressures, these had not been translated into concrete action, causing negotiations to reach a standstill.
This development follows similar criticism from the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), which recently characterized the inspection changes introduced less than a year ago as severely harmful to school leaders’ mental health. The NAHT had previously cautioned that the existing pressures could pose a “risk to life” without immediate reform.
In response to the growing dissent, Ofsted chief inspector Sir Martyn Oliver asserted that an independent survey of education providers indicated the agency was “on the right track.” A spokesperson for the Department for Education (DfE) added that ministers were collaborating with Ofsted and school leaders to ensure accountability remained fair and focused on improvement rather than adding undue pressure.
The controversy stems from the introduction of a report card system last November, which replaced single-word judgements such as “outstanding” or “inadequate.” This shift occurred in the wake of the death of head teacher Ruth Perry, who took her own life after her school was downgraded. An inquest in January 2023 concluded that the inspection process had contributed to her death.
While the new system aims to assess schools across multiple dimensions rather than relying on one overall grade, independent findings present a mixed picture. An interim report based on nearly 700 responses from school and college leaders found that while many were positive about the more collaborative approach, 48% reported that recent inspections had negatively affected their staff’s mental wellbeing to a significant degree. A final report is scheduled for release next year.
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