NEU secured a major win last year when the new Labour government acknowledged the huge damage Ofsted inflicts on headteachers, school leaders and wider school staff – as well as the sheer unreliability of the current school inspection system.
Education secretary Bridget Philipson announced the abolition of single word grades in September. Ofsted was forced to launch a consultation into reforming the Education Inspection Framework (EIF).
However, since the announcement of Ofsted’s consultation, and despite the sector’s best efforts, there has been little meaningful attempt at resolving ongoing systemic issues that cause serious harm to education staff.
NEU was proud to add our name to an open letter to Bridget Philipson calling on her to delay the rollout of Ofsted’s consultation proposals and work with the profession to create a new system – one that is supportive, effective and fair. We were joined by a coalition of school leaders, national organisations, ex-school inspectors, trade unions, academics and Professor Julia Waters, whose sister Ruth Perry died in 2023.
Now is the time to keep the pressure up.
Take action
Will you write to your local MP, calling on them to ask the secretary of state for education to delay the proposed changes to school inspection and engage meaningfully with the profession?