More than half of headteachers responding to a union survey said an inspection under Ofsted’s new framework had made them consider leaving their role sooner than planned, raising questions about whether changes intended to reduce pressure on school leaders are working.
The National Association of Head Teachers survey found that 52 per cent of respondents were considering an earlier departure because of the experience. Some 64 per cent described the inspections as “much more intense” than those under the previous framework, while 86 per cent said they struggled with their mental health and wellbeing during inspection.
The findings concern headteachers who had experienced the revised inspection system. They describe intentions rather than confirmed departures, but come as England already faces difficulties recruiting and retaining school leaders.
Pressure during inspection
The survey received 242 responses between June and October 2026. Its results capture the experiences of those who responded, rather than establishing how every headteacher inspected under the new framework felt about the process.
That distinction matters when considering the potential effect on recruitment and retention. The finding that leaders were considering leaving sooner does not establish that they have resigned, set a departure date or decided against continuing in their posts.
Nevertheless, the responses point to substantial strain among the participating heads. The proportion reporting difficulties with mental health and wellbeing was higher than the proportion describing inspections as much more intense, indicating that the concerns extended beyond a comparison with the previous system.
For schools in London, as elsewhere in England, retaining experienced leadership is a practical issue. Headteachers are responsible for the day-to-day running of their schools as well as their longer-term direction. Difficulties filling those roles can complicate the task of maintaining continuity for staff and pupils.
The survey does not establish how many London headteachers responded or whether the experiences described varied by area. Its relevance to the capital lies in the wider question of whether school accountability is compatible with sustaining the people responsible for delivering it.
A framework intended to ease strain
The framework was introduced a year ago following a radical overhaul prompted by the death of primary headteacher Ruth Perry, who died by suicide in January 2023. Reducing strain on school leaders was an intended purpose of the changes.
The findings therefore present a direct challenge to that aim. Among those taking part in the survey, the revised process was widely described as more intense, and most said their wellbeing suffered while inspectors were on site.
Inspections form part of the accountability system for schools in England. The debate is not simply about whether schools should be assessed, but about how that assessment is carried out and the pressure it places on those leading them.
NAHT general secretary Paul Whiteman called the findings evidence of “the unmitigated failure of an unaccountable and out of control inspectorate”. He said further tinkering by the education secretary would be insufficient, setting out the union’s view that the problems require more than limited adjustments.
Watchdog acknowledges concerns
Ofsted said many school leaders had found inspections helpful, while acknowledging concerns about workload and wellbeing. That response presents a different assessment of the revised framework from the experiences highlighted by the union survey.
The Department for Education said it was working with the watchdog to make accountability “collaborative, fair, proportionate”. Those stated aims sit alongside the framework’s original intention to reduce strain on heads while maintaining scrutiny of schools.
Teaching unions have already declared no confidence in Ofsted and threatened strike ballots over inspection-related wellbeing. Those threats are not the same as ballots being held or industrial action taking place, but underline the procedural stakes of the dispute.
What remains unknown is how many of the surveyed headteachers will leave sooner than planned, and whether work between the department and Ofsted will address the difficulties they described. For schools trying to retain experienced leaders, the practical test will be whether accountability can operate without adding to the pressures that make heads consider leaving.
