The education watchdog’s reliance on biased surveys raises doubts about the validity of their positive claims, say critics.

Ofsted’s frequent assertion that most school leaders are satisfied with inspections has come under scrutiny, particularly after the tragic death of Ruth Perry, headteacher of Caversham Primary School, following an Ofsted inspection. Critics argue that the inspectorate’s claim lacks credible evidence and is based on flawed methodology.

The common response from Ofsted when faced with criticism is: “We always want inspections to be constructive and collaborative, and in the vast majority of cases, school leaders agree that they are.” However, upon investigating the source of this claim, the evidence does not stand up to scrutiny.

In response to a request for more information, Ofsted provided a link to survey results from inspections between 2021 and 2022, showing that the majority of respondents felt positive about the inspection process. The survey included statements such as “inspectors took good account of the views of leaders” and “judgements made by inspectors were justified based on the evidence collected.” However, the way these responses were gathered has raised serious concerns.

Out of 3,614 schools inspected, only 1,772 responded—barely half of the schools contacted, and the sample was self-selecting. This means that those unhappy with the inspections may have opted not to take part, distorting the results. As Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Headteachers (NAHT), points out, many school leaders do not believe that responding to Ofsted’s surveys would lead to any meaningful change, which may explain why so many schools chose to stay silent.

Furthermore, the questions posed in the survey have been criticised for being biased, potentially leading respondents toward favourable answers. For example, one statement asked if “inspectors took good account of the views of leaders.” A more neutral way to phrase this would be, “How do you feel about the account inspectors took of the views of school leaders?” This would allow for a broader range of responses, rather than skewing them in favour of Ofsted.

Despite these flaws, Ofsted continues to use the results to support their narrative that the majority of school leaders are satisfied with inspections. This, critics argue, is a problematic way to justify an inspection system that many feel is damaging. Whiteman adds that Ofsted must acknowledge the negative impact that their inspections are having on staff and school leaders, who are left feeling “damaged” by the process.

The situation has been further exacerbated by the tragic death of Ruth Perry, whose family and colleagues have expressed the belief that the inspection system played a role in her mental health decline. This sentiment is echoed by teachers and parents across the country, who feel that Ofsted’s approach is overly harsh and damaging.

Yet, despite these growing concerns, Ofsted and the Department for Education continue to stand by their method, relying on questionable survey results to back their claims. Critics fear that it may take another tragedy for meaningful change to occur in the way school inspections are conducted.