Ofsted’s chief inspector Martyn Oliver told MPs that the education watchdog’s new grading system won’t increase people’s workloads despite major concerns being raised by teachers
Ofsted’s chief inspector has been accused of being “disingenuous” after claiming the body does not place an “additional burden” on schools and teachers.
Martyn Oliver told MPs that Ofsted’s new grading system won’t increase people’s workloads despite major concerns being raised by teachers.
Last month, the education watchdog unveiled new-look report cards to grade schools across different areas – including attendance, behaviour and inclusion – using a colour-coded five-point scale.
Leading education unions slammed the plans, which are due to come into force next month, and warned they would mount extra pressure on school staff.
Today, Sir Martyn said it is “absolutely right that we don’t place an additional burden” as he defended the grading system. He said his new inspection framework could be easily updated as fresh reforms, guidance or laws come about for schools in future.
READ MORE: Ofsted announce new ‘Nando’s style’ school grades amid teacher fury over how they work
“So they update, [then] my frameworks update. And that way I’m confident that we’ll stay to the very best practice and we won’t increase people’s workload,” he told the Commons’ education select committee.
“I know it’s hard for people to believe, but we really are inspecting – in this new framework – against what you’re supposed to do anyway and that, I think, will be a big part of making things better and fairer.”
But Daniel Kebede, General Secretary of the National Education Union, said Sir Martyn’s response will “do little to reassure the profession that this new framework will make things better”.
He told The Mirror: “We have repeatedly raised concerns about the impact reforms will have on workload and wellbeing – concerns that are validated by Ofsted’s own Independent Wellbeing Review.
“To claim that Ofsted does not place ‘additional burdens’ on schools and that there should be no increase in workload because Ofsted simply assesses schools against standards they are already expected to meet, is disingenuous.
“It is a claim that goes against all the evidence and stands in stark contrast to the experiences our members report every year.”
Ofsted’s one-word judgements for schools’ overall performance were scrapped by ministers after the suicide of headteacher Ruth Perry.
Mrs Perry took her own life in 2023 after an Ofsted report downgraded her Caversham Primary School in Reading from its highest rating of “outstanding” to its lowest rating, “inadequate”, over safeguarding concerns.
Elsewhere during his evidence session, raised serious concerns about vulnerable children being housed in unregistered and unregulated children’s homes.
He pointed to data showing that in 2024/2025, of the 152 local authorities, at least 86% of them used an unregistered children’s home.
Sir Martyn said he wished he could “banish” unregistered homes but said he wasn’t “naïve” to believe they can be closed overnight “because those children would be out in the street”.
He said: “Unfortunately, there just simply aren’t enough children’s homes… to meet all of the complex needs that are coming their way. It is utterly ridiculous at the moment.”
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