Ofsted inspectors received emergency training this week on how to manage school leader anxiety, after a coroner ruled inspection contributed to the death of a Berkshire headteacher. Senior coroner Heidi Connor said last week that Ruth Perry鈥檚 mental health 鈥渄eteriorated significantly鈥 after an inspection last autumn that rated Caversham Primary School 鈥榠nadequate鈥. She plans to issue a report aimed at preventing future deaths, highlighting serious concerns including an 鈥渁lmost complete absence鈥 of inspector training on dealing with signs of distress. In response, chief inspector Amanda Spielman a one-day delay to inspections this week so that lead inspectors could attend emergency training.听 Schools Week spoke to inspectors who attended the 90-minute session to find out what was discussed. What did the training cover? Connor warned last week that parts of the Ofsted inspection at Caversham were 鈥渃onducted in a manner which lacked fairness, respect and sensitivity鈥 and that it was 鈥渁t times rude and intimidating鈥. Slides from the training session seen by Schools Week outlined 鈥渟igns of anxiety and stress鈥 that inspectors should be 鈥渁lert to鈥. These included 鈥渃rying or becoming tearful鈥, a 鈥渃hange in voice pitch鈥 and 鈥渞apid or mumbled鈥 speech. One inspector described it as 鈥渂asic, given that these are senior leaders鈥, but added 鈥渕aybe it speaks volumes that they do need a basic course鈥.听 Another slide from the training said that if a member of staff or leaders 鈥渟hows any of these signs鈥 during an inspection, inspectors should 鈥減ause and check on their wellbeing鈥. They should also 鈥渕ake a decision about whether it is appropriate for the activity to continue鈥. Last week, Connor said it was 鈥渟uggested鈥 by Ofsted witnesses that there was an option to pause an inspection because of teacher 鈥渄istress鈥. But neither the school nor council was aware of this. Instead, the concept of a pause was 鈥渟omething of a mythical creature鈥 that Ofsted had 鈥渃reated and expanded on鈥 during its evidence. When should Ofsted inspectors pause visits? Inspectors told Schools Week that the training advised them to call Ofsted鈥檚 helpdesk and request to pause an inspection 鈥渋f we think it鈥檚 got to an extreme state鈥. The request would then 鈥済o up the chain鈥. In another slide, inspectors were reminded to 鈥渆ncourage the headteacher to bring someone with them鈥 to meetings, and to emphasise they would have the 鈥渙pportunity to comment and ask questions鈥. The training was delivered by His Majesty鈥檚 Inspectors (HMIs) and followed by a question-and-answer session with director of education Chris Russell, alongside regional directors. One inspector said they were told at 8am on Monday about the training, while another said only eight minutes were allowed for questions. But none of those who spoke to Schools Week were particularly critical of the session鈥檚 contents. 鈥淚t needs to be far more detailed, but I equally am very pleased they put on a short-term measure,鈥 one said. Two inspectors said they had never received training on headteacher welfare before, despite Ofsted鈥檚 claims at the inquest that this was a 鈥渃ore value鈥. What changes has Ofsted made? An email seen by Schools Week shows Ofsted has updated the script it gives to lead inspectors. Additional prompts now include a reference to making sure 鈥渢he headteacher knows that they can share information about the outcome of an inspection with loved ones and medical professionals鈥. This follows a finding that the confidentiality requirement around inspection outcomes was a 鈥渟ignificant issue鈥 for Perry. Connor said Perry was 鈥渘ever told that she could discuss the matter, for instance, with mental health professionals, despite the obvious concern of some of the inspectors on the day鈥. This week inspectors also said they had been given a 鈥渂rand new鈥 addition to their duties: to identify a person responsible for the welfare of the headteacher at the start of an inspection. Leaders could also 鈥渃ontact Ofsted to speak to a senior inspector while the inspection is happening鈥, if they felt they could not raise issues with the lead inspector. This marks a step up from Ofsted鈥檚 previous reforms, which offered schools the chance to call Ofsted the day after the end of an inspection if they had 鈥渦nresolved issues鈥.听 What happens next? Monday鈥檚 training was delivered only to lead inspectors due to inspect schools this week. In an email, the watchdog said it was developing a training programme for all inspectors starting in January that would run through the spring term 鈥渁s a minimum鈥 and include input from external organisations. Ofsted was contacted for comment.
Mary Ensor 16 December 2023 Could the huge amount of evidence required by Ofsted be decreased? I mean decreased a lot. It鈥檚 months worth of work and stress before the Inspection. It鈥檚 a lot of pressure for all staff. But a lot more for Senior Management teams
Sandy Cameron 17 December 2023 The problem is not so much documentation required by Ofsted. They only want to see documentation required by the government, or that which any competent school maintains anyway.