Leaders鈥 unions will consider the 鈥渦nprecedented step鈥 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), the two headteacher unions said the proposed action 鈥渦nderlines the strength of feeling about the proposed reforms鈥. Proposed new report cards would see schools rated one of five grades across up to 11 areas. ‘Unfeasibly narrow window to prepare’ But ASCL and the NAHT said they 鈥渄o not believe it will be possible鈥 for inspectors to make 鈥渕any finely balanced judgements during the course of a single inspection in a way that is reliable and consistent鈥. They also repeated concerns over the timeframe to implement reforms. Despite Ofsted delaying publication of its consultation response 鈥 which will confirm how report cards will work 鈥 until September, the watchdog has insisted new inspections will be rolled out in November. The unions said this leaves leaders with an 鈥渦nfeasibly narrow window of time in which to prepare for a completely new, and radically different inspection framework鈥. 鈥淚t will significantly add to workload pressures, negatively affect leaders鈥 and teachers鈥 wellbeing and mental health, and further undermine trust in the proposed framework,鈥 they added. ‘Disruption tactics frustrate our vital work’ Unless there are 鈥渃hanges to both the timeframe of implementation and to the five-point grading scale鈥, the unions will consider 鈥渆ncouraging members to withdraw their service as Ofsted inspectors in the autumn term鈥. Just over two-thirds of Ofsted’s contracted inspectors are serving teachers or leaders in schools. But Ofsted said it “exists to keep children safe and raise standards” and inspectors do “vital work to improve children’s lives”. “It is disappointing that unions are taking legal action and using disruption tactics to frustrate our vital work,” a spokesperson added. However the letter from unions adds: 鈥淭his 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.鈥 NAHT’s executive agreed to such a call in 2023, but ASCL said would be a first for them. The unions want new report cards delayed until September 2026, and said they would accept a 鈥渢hree-plus鈥 grading model. This would consist of three grades for each evaluation area 鈥 鈥榗ausing concern鈥, 鈥榓ttention needed鈥 and 鈥榮ecure鈥 鈥 with exemplary practice in any area optionally included as a narrative description. ‘Unprecedented step’ ASCL general secretary Pepe Di鈥橧asio said despite 鈥渧oicing concerns repeatedly鈥 the 鈥渢imetable 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鈥. 鈥淚t 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.鈥 Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders鈥 union NAHT, added their proposed changes would 鈥渃reate 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.鈥 The Headteachers鈥 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 鈥渘ot our 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鈥. Ofsted said at the time the campaign led to few inspectors quitting. The inspectorate also said today it has more than 2,000 school leaders “on our waiting list to be trained as Ofsted inspectors”. 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鈥檛 have a response until the autumn term, Ofsted and the DfE鈥檚 determination to start inspecting later that term is entirely unacceptable. It will significantly add to workload pressures, negatively affect leaders鈥 and teachers鈥 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 鈥榮ecure鈥 is not good enough and they must strive for 鈥榮trong鈥 and 鈥榚xemplary鈥 will add to the considerable workload and pressures they already face and will further impact recruitment and retention. As we鈥檝e 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 鈥榯hree+鈥 grading model. This approach would consist of three grades for each evaluation area 鈥 鈥榗ausing concern鈥, 鈥榓ttention needed鈥 and 鈥榮ecure鈥 鈥 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鈥檚 Board from September. We are also sharing this letter with our members.