The National Education Union (NEU) is calling for urgent change at Ofsted, after a snap survey found that 98 per cent of members said they do not have confidence in its current leadership.
The union is calling for Chief Inspector Sir Martyn Oliver to go, and is demanding a review of the new inspection framework, plus an immediate pause on Ofsted inspections while that review is carried out.
The union surveyed teachers and leaders in England as the inspectorate faces mounting calls for change. Pressure is building on Ofsted to respond to the concerns raised by leaders and other educators about the impact of its new framework.
The survey, conducted overnight 12-13 October, had responses from almost 7,000 NEU members in English state schools. It found:
- 98 per cent do not have confidence in the current leadership of Ofsted.
- 96 per cent support calls for an urgent review of the new inspection framework.
- 96 per cent support calls for an immediate pause on Ofsted inspections.
The findings come after the NEU released research (on 23 September) demonstrating that the new framework is driving excessive workload, harming wellbeing and driving one in four from the profession. Deep concerns were highlighted that the new framework is making working conditions worse, not better for teachers and leaders. The report found no evidence that the profession sees this new framework as an improvement. (see Editor’s Note)
This week's survey shows the profession supports a call for review of the new framework and the NEU thinks that use of the current framework should be paused while a proper review is carried out. That review should take into account the range of short- and long-term recommendations made in our report to improve the working conditions of teachers and leaders across our schools.
Commenting on the findings, Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union, said:
"These figures are stark and overwhelming and show a profession united in demanding change.
"Ofsted has demonstrated an inability to listen to the impact of its new framework on teachers and leaders. These are committed, experienced professionals who work in excess of 50 hours per week - and Ofsted continues to add to that workload.
"The removal of one-word judgements was meant to signal a re-set and re-balancing which simply hasn’t been delivered. Ofsted casts a huge shadow over the education system and is perpetuating a climate of fear.
"Sir Martyn Oliver has lost the confidence of the profession and it is time for him to go. The pressure of Ofsted needs to be lifted immediately and Ofsted inspections should be paused while a proper review of the inspection regime takes place."
Editor's Note:
The questions put were as follows:
- Do you have confidence in the current leadership of Ofsted?
- Do you support calls for an urgent review of the new inspection framework?
- Do you support calls for an immediate pause on Ofsted inspections?
In total, 7,014 teachers and leaders in English state schools answered at least one question in the survey, before reweighting. Of these, 6,967 provided enough demographic and employment data to be included in the reweighted sample, in line with national characteristics on age, gender, role and workplace information as published by the DfE.