First Independent Post Ofsted Inspection Survey Findings Conference

Join us online for the first independent survey results on Post Ofsted inspections – insights you don’t wanna miss!

An opportunity to discover what senior leaders really thought of their inspections under Ofsted's new inspection framework. You will find out how welcome the approach is being viewed as well as its strengths and weaknesses. You will have a chance to raise questions and offer insight.

Monitoring Ofsted Inspection Survey

The tragic suicide of Ruth Perry, headteacher at Caversham Primary School in January 2023, following an Ofsted inspection when safeguarding was judged as ‘inadequate’ sent shock waves through the education community. Sadly, many had been predicting the possibility of such a tragic event for some time. Ofsted created the ‘Big Listen’ a national survey to establish how those touched and affected by inspection felt about the process and how it could be improved.

As Dame Christine Gilbert stated in her Learning Review of Ofsted in summer 2024, Ofsted ‘appeared "defensive and complacent" rather than reflective and self-critical. She found that the tragedy "shone a light on a climate of fear and frustration" around inspections that had built up over years.’She went on to point out that ‘An inspection system is only as good as the difference it makes. Almost everyone who participated in the review agreed that inspection could be a force for good and that a high-quality and trusted inspectorate should add value … and also emphasised that this would require radical change.’The Gilbert Learning Review made a number of recommendations, many of which Ofsted accepted.

One important issue they chose not to accept immediately was the contracting out of post inspection surveys so that they were handled independently. Ofsted said it needed more time to consider the "budgetary implications" before committing to this. It’s worth adding that the subsequent Big Consultation that explained how Ofsted intended to inspect in the future, sadly did not deliver the expected radical change and many in the profession and beyond were dismayed.The Gilbert Learning Review was published in September 2024, and Ofsted has, in our view, been slow to develop an independent post inspection survey. So, Prof Peter Tymms, Prof Frank Coffield, Prof Colin Richards, Prof Chris Pascal and Frank Norris MBE have created a totally independent post-inspection survey for schools to use.

Following an inspection, each school is sent an email link that allows them to enter their views on the inspection experience. There is space for comments, but this is not essential. Those we have received already make clear the personal and professional pressure they have felt and there are some deeply troubling issues. Not all responses are negative, and our website treats all responses equitably. Every six months we will publish a report that provides a detailed summary of the responses. We will continue to do this until Ofsted creates the independent post-inspection survey the Gilbert Learning Review recommended.It is worth adding that the five colleagues involved in this work have successfully crowdfunded sufficient resources to get the work started and manage the entire process themselves at no cost, other than their own time.