SCHOOLS should be left to assess their own performance because watchdog Ofsted is seen as toxic, an inquiry report suggests.
They could “self-evaluate their progress” while working on improvements with an external partner, it recommends.
The inquiry looking at the role of Ofsted followed the death of primary headteacher Ruth Perry in January
The Beyond Ofsted inquiry, chaired by ex-schools minister Lord Jim Knight, said the inspection system had lost the trust of teachers and parents and was seen as not fit for purpose.
The inquiry was launched amid calls for a revamp in inspectors’ school ratings — which use one-word judgments such as “inadequate”.
It followed the death of primary headteacher Ruth Perry in January.
Her family says she took her own life after Ofsted downgraded her Berkshire school from its highest rating to its lowest over safeguarding concerns.
Lord Knight said: “The evidence is clear. Ofsted has lost the trust of the teaching profession, and increasingly of parents.
“Our recommendations are designed to restore trust and address the intensification of leader and teacher workload, while reforming a system which is ineffective in its role of school improvement”
A Department for Education spokesperson told the BBC they want “inspections to be a constructive experience for school staff”.
“Our inspectors are all former or current school leaders and well understand the nature and pressures of the work.
“Ofsted has a crucial role in providing a regular, independent evaluation of every school, providing reassurance to parents that pupils are receiving the high quality education they deserve and are being kept safe.”
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