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Amanda Spielman, the chief inspector of Ofsted during the tragic death of headteacher Ruth Perry, is likely to be appointed to the House of Lords following a nomination from the Conservative Party, as reported by the Observer.
Her nomination, part of former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s annual birthday honors list awaiting King Charles’s approval, has sparked significant backlash. Perry’s family expressed their outrage, while educational leaders deemed the move “obscene” and an affront to teachers nationwide.
Perry passed away in January 2023, shortly after an Ofsted inspection downgraded her school, Caversham Primary in Reading, to an inadequate rating.
Following Perry’s death, Spielman faced criticism for her delayed public expression of sympathy, waiting a week to convey her sorrow for the family’s loss. Calls for a pause in inspections during this sensitive time were also ignored. A subsequent coroner’s inquest determined that the inspection, described as “rude and intimidating,” played a role in Perry’s demise. The coroner issued a report urging urgent reforms to inspection processes, emphasizing the need for training inspectors on how to manage distress. However, Spielman defended the integrity of her organization, asserting that no mistakes were made during the inspection.
Julia Waters, Perry’s sister, articulated her dismay over Spielman’s potential elevation to the House of Lords, stating, “Amanda Spielman’s legacy is inextricably linked to my sister’s tragic, preventable death and her defense of an unaccountable system.”
Waters asserted that such a record does not merit the honor of a peerage.
Andrew Morrish, a former headteacher and Ofsted inspector, criticized the Conservative Party’s decision to nominate Spielman as “obscene,” highlighting the insensitivity to both the educational sector and Perry’s family. Morrish founded Headrest, a mental health helpline for school leaders, which has reported receiving numerous calls from those feeling overwhelmed due to inspection pressures. Headrest plans to initiate a public petition opposing Spielman’s nomination.
Recently, Spielman stirred controversy within government circles by claiming that Labour’s proposed schools bill was likely to deteriorate education in England, suggesting that Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson was overly influenced by union interests. No 10 responded sharply, criticizing Spielman’s tenure at Ofsted. A spokesperson for the Prime Minister remarked that she should reflect on her failures rather than attack government reforms.
Despite the criticism, Spielman garnered respect from several Conservative education secretaries throughout her tenure from 2017 to 2023, particularly for her focus on strengthening the curriculum. The inspection framework she established aimed to delve deeper into the educational content being delivered, aligning with past government emphasis on academic rigor.
Nonetheless, many small primary schools found the inspection’s detailed examinations challenging, and faculty members reported that evaluating schools through impromptu questions posed to randomly selected students was often subjective and flawed.
In 2021, Spielman initiated a significant review addressing sexual harassment and abuse in schools after widespread reports emerged on the Everyone’s Invited platform. Ofsted discovered that many students felt discouraged from reporting incidents due to their prevalence. Yet, Conservative MP Maria Miller criticized Ofsted for its failure to implement protective measures for children earlier.
Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union, stated that Spielman’s potential nomination to the House of Lords could not be justified based on any positive educational contributions, emphasizing that her approach had largely negative consequences. He pointed out that she remained oblivious to the issues within Ofsted that were linked to Ruth Perry’s death and contributed to the ongoing retention challenges faced by schools.
A spokesperson for the Conservative Party declined to provide specific details regarding the nominations for honors or any vetting processes conducted, citing a policy against commenting on speculation or alleged leaks.
Source
www.theguardian.com