The Department for Education must scrap plans to introduce its new arrangements for school inspection in November and delay any implementation until the start of the 2026/27 academic year at the earliest.
 
NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union has warned the Secretary of State for Education that plans to give schools just two months to digest the detail of the reforms and prepare for their introduction will place wholly unacceptable and unjustified pressures on school leaders and teachers and that the timescale for reform must be extended.
 
The November deadline also calls into question the integrity of the public consultation on the reforms to inspection and how any significant evidence for reform that emerges from the consultation could be achieved in just two months, given Ofsted has now decided to push back the publication of its response to the consultation to September.
 
The NASUWT, along with other education unions, has written to the Secretary of State setting out our concerns and calling for a delay. 
 
Matt Wrack, NASUWT Acting General Secretary, said:
 
“The decision to postpone the publication of Ofsted's response to its consultation, but to press ahead with the original timetable for implementation of reforms to inspection is only likely to heap yet further pressure and stress on teachers and school leaders.
 
“Such a timetable would make a mockery of any claims that the welfare of the teaching profession is the catalyst for Ofsted’s reforms to the inspection system. 
 
“These are critical changes and it is vital that adequate time is made available for further dialogue, piloting and engagement with the profession before any changes are brought in.
 
“Trust amongst the profession over Ofsted is already low and rushing through such significant changes is only likely to further weaken the confidence of teachers and school leaders in the inspection system.”