Ofsted Coalition’s Core Purpose and Aspirations

The Ofsted Coalition brings together education professionals, researchers, leaders, suicide prevention campaigners and experts as well as unions and stakeholders who believe England’s school inspection system requires fundamental reform — not simply changes to frameworks or processes, but a wider shift in the philosophy, culture and accountability structures which underpin inspection.

We believe accountability matters. However, accountability systems should support improvement, professional trust and educational quality — not fear, performativity or, crucially, harm.

We are calling for an inspection system which is:

• Safe — recognising and minimising harm to staff, leaders and school communities;

• Accountable — with meaningful independent oversight and transparent routes for challenge and appeal;

• Fair — evidence-informed, consistent, context-sensitive and procedurally just;

• Proportionate — reducing unnecessary workload, performative practices and excessive high-stakes pressure;

…all grounded in a humane approach to school accountability.

The coalition supports practical and measurable reform, including:

• a robust, independent complaints and appeals process
• ongoing monitoring and evaluation into the well-being and organisational impact of inspection, including response to advice from suicide prevention experts
• greater transparency and accountability for all practices related to inspection
• reducing inspection-driven workload and performativity
• challenging the wider culture around a fear-based inspection system.

The coalition’s work is organised across four connected strands. These are:

• Research and Evidence

• Political and Policy Engagement

• Professional Action and

• Public Narrative and Campaigning

Research and Evidence

To build the evidence base for reform through:

• research and policy analysis;
• gathering professional testimony and lived experience;
• analysing the impacts of high-stakes accountability;
• reviewing national and international evidence and alternative models

Political and Policy Engagement

To create political pressure and develop the case for structural reform through:

• engagement with parliamentarians and policymakers;
• responding to consultations and reviews;
• developing reform proposals and briefing papers;
• engaging with unions, professional associations and sector organisations;
• scrutinising progress against existing recommendations and commitments.

Professional Action

To coordinate practical action within the profession through:

• sector pledges and collective commitments;
• reducing engagement with fear-based inspection preparation;
• challenging unnecessary performative workload;
• supporting healthier professional cultures;
• exploring appropriate forms of professional non-cooperation where necessary.

Public Narrative and Campaigning

To shift the wider public conversation around inspection and accountability through:

promoting a humane and proportionate alternative vision.

public communication and media engagement;

storytelling and amplification of professional voices;

campaigns, events and public discussion;

challenging assumptions that fear-based accountability improves education;