Ofsted inspection overhaul introduces major change for headteachers

LocalPolitics
6 Feb 2026 • 9:49 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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  • Ofsted and the school leaders’ union NAHT will collaborate to monitor the impact of the new school inspection system on headteachers’ mental health.
  • This agreement follows repeated concerns raised by the NAHT about headteacher wellbeing, including a recent poll where nearly half of school leaders reported needing mental health support.
  • The decision to monitor comes after Ofsted scrapped single-word judgments in 2024, a move influenced by criticism following headteacher Ruth Perry’s death by suicide.
  • An advisory group, established by NAHT and including Ofsted and the Department for Education, will examine data on the new system's rollout and its effect on wellbeing.
  • Ofsted’s chief inspector, Sir Martyn Oliver, expressed the watchdog's keenness to use data to make improvements and gather feedback on the system.

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