Leaders’ unions will consider the “unprecedented step” of asking their members to quit as Ofsted inspectors unless the watchdog delays roll-out of new inspections and ditches plans for five grades.
In a letter to Sir Martyn Oliver and Bridget Phillipson (read the full letter below), two education unions said the action “underlines the strength of feeling about the proposed reforms”.
Proposed new report cards would see colleges and providers rated one of five grades across up to 20 areas.
‘Unfeasibly narrow window to prepare’
But ASCL and the NAHT said they “do not believe it will be possible” for inspectors to make “many finely balanced judgements during the course of a single inspection in a way that is reliable and consistent”.
They also repeated concerns over the timeframe to implement reforms.
Despite Ofsted delaying publication of its consultation response until September – which will confirm how report cards will work – the watchdog has insisted new inspections will be rolled out in November.
The unions said this leaves leaders with an “unfeasibly narrow window of time in which to prepare for a completely new, and radically different inspection framework”.
“It will significantly add to workload pressures, negatively affect leaders’ and teachers’ wellbeing and mental health, and further undermine trust in the proposed framework,” they added.
‘Unprecedented step’
Unless there are “changes to both the timeframe of implementation and to the five-point grading scale”, the unions will consider “encouraging members to withdraw their service as Ofsted inspectors in the autumn term”.
Many education leaders work part-time as Ofsted inspectors.
The letter adds: “This would be an unprecedented step for ASCL and NAHT and underlines the strength of feeling about the proposed reforms. We very much hope this is not an action we have to take.”
The unions want new report cards delayed until September 2026, and said they would accept a “three-plus” grading model. This would consist of three grades for each evaluation area – ‘causing concern’, ‘attention needed’ and ‘secure’ – with exemplary practice in any area optionally included as a narrative description.
Plans have ‘got worse’
Association of School and College Leaders general secretary Pepe Di’Iasio said despite “voicing concerns repeatedly” the “timetable for implementation has actually got worse rather than better, and there has been no indication so far of likely movement on the five-point grading scale”.
“It feels as though we have exhausted the potential for compromise through discussion, and that we have little option other than to consider this more direct form of action.”
Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders’ union NAHT, added their proposed changes would “create the breathing space needed to ensure these flawed proposals are fundamentally reshaped in collaboration with the profession, as well as preventing a rushed rehash of the plans being dumped upon schools at unacceptably short notice, piling intolerable pressure upon schools and inspectors”.
The Headteachers’ Roundtable group launched a #PauseOfsted campaign in 2020 calling for leaders to step down as inspectors over concerns about the impact of inspections on schools.
This was backed by the National Education Union, but ASCL said at the time it was “not oue role to give unsolicited advice over professional decisions, and because we are not convinced that this action is the best way forward to create a better system”.
Ofsted said at the time the campaign led to few inspectors quitting.
Read the full letter:
Dear Bridget and Martyn,
Yesterday, we wrote jointly with the NASUWT and NEU expressing our collective concern about the decision to press ahead with Ofsted inspections under the new framework in November regardless of the delayed consultation response.
This decision will leave school and college leaders with an unfeasibly narrow window of time in which to prepare for a completely new, and radically different inspection framework.
We were already concerned about the timeframe when Ofsted was due to publish its response this term.
Given that we now won’t have a response until the autumn term, Ofsted and the DfE’s determination to start inspecting later that term is entirely unacceptable.
It will significantly add to workload pressures, negatively affect leaders’ and teachers’ wellbeing and mental health, and further undermine trust in the proposed framework.
We have also previously set out, on several occasions, our significant concerns about the proposed five-point grading scale.
We do not believe it will be possible for inspectors to make so many finely balanced judgements during the course of a single inspection in a way that is reliable and consistent.
Telling schools and colleges that ‘secure’ is not good enough and they must strive for ‘strong’ and ‘exemplary’ will add to the considerable workload and pressures they already face and will further impact recruitment and retention.
As we’ve previously discussed, our preferred approach is a binary model based on whether schools and colleges have or have not met statutory standards. However, we have also said we would be comfortable with a ‘three+’ grading model.
This approach would consist of three grades for each evaluation area – ‘causing concern’, ‘attention needed’ and ‘secure’ – with exemplary practice in any area optionally included as a narrative description.
We are writing to you further to our joint letter with NASUWT and NEU to inform you ASCL Council recently determined that unless there are changes to both the timeframe of implementation and to the five-point grading scale, then ASCL will consider encouraging its members to withdraw their service from Ofsted as OIs in the autumn term.
At its meeting of 20 June the NAHT resolved to do the same.
This would be an unprecedented step for ASCL and NAHT and underlines the strength of feeling about the proposed reforms.
We very much hope this is not an action we have to take. In the interest of transparency, we have shared these concerns with Dame Christine Gilbert, who we are pleased has been appointed as Chair of Ofsted’s Board from September. We are also sharing this letter with our members.
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