NAHT takes legal action against Ofsted over proposed school report card changes, arguing that the new system will have a detrimental impact on wellbeing of education staff and students.
The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) has issued a claim with the High Court for a judicial review, challenging Ofsted‘s proposed changes to its school inspection system. ‘another crude grading system’ that will have a detrimental impact on the wellbeing of education staff and students.
Ofsted is an independent inspectorate responsible for monitoring and reporting on educational standards in England.
Ofsted policy focuses on ensuring schools meet minimum requirements for quality education.
Key aspects of Ofsted policy include regular school inspections, grading schools based on performance, and providing recommendations for improvement.
The policy also emphasizes the importance of teacher training, pupil progress tracking, and parent engagement.
The Proposed Changes
Ofsted‘s proposals include introducing five possible grades for each area of inspection, including quality of education, behaviour and attendance, personal development, leadership and management. A separate section of the report card will assess whether the school has met its duties around safeguarding. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson claims that the new system will provide ‘rich, granular insight’ to help deliver tailored support for struggling schools.
NAHT’s Concerns
The NAHT is opposed to the proposed changes, arguing that they are ‘more of the same’ and do not address the underlying issues that led to Ruth Perry‘s tragic death. The union’s general secretary, Paul Whiteman, has called on Ofsted boss Sir Martyn Oliver to ‘scrap these proposals’ and ‘think again’. Whiteman believes that school leaders should be able to assess their own schools without being subject to a rigid grading system.
Supporting Mental Health
Ofsted claims that supporting mental health is an important part of its proposed changes, but the NAHT argues that this is just a superficial gesture. The union believes that the new system will actually have a negative impact on staff wellbeing and student experience. A letter signed by Prof Julia Waters and over 30 other education professionals warned that the changes would ‘continue to have a detrimental impact’ on education staff.
Mental health refers to a person's emotional, psychological, and social well-being.
It affects how one thinks, feels, and behaves.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mental health is just as important as physical health.
One in four people will experience a mental health disorder each year, with depression being the leading cause of disability worldwide.
Recognizing the signs of mental illness, such as changes in mood, sleep patterns, or social withdrawal, can help individuals seek professional help and support.
Next Steps
The NAHT‘s judicial review is set to take place in the coming weeks, with the union seeking a judge’s review of Ofsted‘s proposed changes. The outcome of this action will determine whether the new report card system goes ahead as planned.
