"Ofsted stress gave me a heart condition - now they've said my school is 'good'... but we're not celebrating"

A year ago, headteacher Ben Davis revealed how the stress from Ofsted inspections had given him a heart condition. Since a 2016 inspection, St Ambrose Barlow RC High in Wardley, Swinton, had been stuck in the 'requires improvement' category.

Ben had endured eight Ofsted inspections during his tenure, which he frankly admitted had physically and mentally taken its toll. He had considered quitting due to the 'high-stakes climate of fear' he claimed the system creates.

But he stuck at it - and this week, a new inspection report revealed the school has been graded 'good'. There will be no bunting declaring that fact outside the school.

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Ben believes the death last year of a teacher should have been a watershed moment in how schools are assessed. Last year he composed a letter to Ofsted - backed by 100 headteachers and principals from Salford schools and colleges - calling for the watchdog to suspend inspections in the wake of Ruth Perry's death.

He said 'an ethic of proud and humble public service is being eroded by a regime of fear and humiliation'. Ms Perry took her own life in January 2023.

Berkshire's senior coroner ruled her suicide was contributed to by an Ofsted inspection - following which her school was downgraded from 'outstanding' to 'inadequate' - after an inquest.

Her family said the Caversham Primary School head was 'an absolute shadow of herself'. This week, the government's decision that the system of one-word Ofsted judgements in schools in England should remain triggered controversy.

Ministers say the grades give parents an important summary of schools' performance. Ms Perry's sister Professor Julia Walters said she was deeply upset by the government's response.

In January, a report from the cross-party education select committee in Parliament called for an end to the overall judgements, which are either one or two words. Only ministers can change the system, but the Department for Education, in its response to the report, said it had 'significant benefits'.

'Valued, cared for and happy'

The new Ofsted report on St Ambrose rates overall effectiveness; quality of education, behaviour and attitudes of pupils; and leadership and management all as 'good'. 'Personal development' among students was deemed 'outstanding'.

The report reads: "Pupils feel valued, cared for and happy at this welcoming school. They spoke warmly of their positive relationships with staff. Pupils feel that they matter to their teachers.

"Pupils and staff are proud of the ways in which their school has improved in recent years. The school expects all pupils to achieve well, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Pupils develop their knowledge well over time. They receive appropriate help and support. This is because staff understand and recognise individual pupils' needs."

Ben, a 51-year-old Catholic father of two, has not changed his view on Ofsted. "The report validates the view that many of us have had for some time - this is a great school," he told the Manchester Evening News.

"We are lucky to have such a dedicated, expert and caring team of staff and it is lovely for them to be celebrated in this way. It also shows the power of working as a team as what has been achieved at St Ambrose Barlow is very much a collective effort of people working steadily over a period of time.

"I think it is important to recognise that this success is about all staff - teachers and support staff - working together, from the smile of welcome at the front door, to the quality of teaching, the care and attention to detail in safeguarding and so much more besides.

"The report also confirms that a school can do this by themselves, we don't need forced academisation to improve. Over the last four years, we have worked in collaboration with other local schools and the local authority and their support has been invaluable, but fundamentally we did this ourselves and we absolutely have the capacity to continue and go further.

"This is because we really believe in our staff and we are very committed to serving the local community. The phrase we use is that we must make sure, despite all the challenges these days in education - funding, wellbeing, behaviour, recruitment and retention, that we are a 'school that matters' to our pupils and their families.

"What parents, carers, pupils and staff think day to day is much more important to us. There are always aspects of school life that we identify as areas for improvement. Whilst we are pleased, and relieved, to have been judged 'good' - and for the hard work of staff and pupils to be recognised - we will work just as hard as ever to continue to achieve excellence for all of our pupils."

Despite the report's glowing praise, Ben said: "What it can't do, in its 700 or so words, is justice to all of the great things that inspectors viewed as strengths – things we see and experience every day. It has, nevertheless, caught the warmth, welcome and sense of mission that we work hard to create and which we view as being the foundation of a successful school."

'Ofsted needs huge reform'

Asked if he now felt Ofsted was a valid way of assessing schools he said: "No, my view hasn't changed. In fact, in the light of the recent decision by the government to retain single word judgments I feel more strongly than ever that Ofsted needs huge reform.

"Nothing we did in our improvement journey was done for Ofsted. It was always what we felt was best for our young people, particularly those who face the greatest challenges and this continues to be our mission.

"Getting a 'good' grade from Ofsted does not compensate for all the stress, anxiety and fear created in our school over the past few years - and its impact on our staff. As we have shown, the people who know their school best and who know how to improve it are those who live and breathe it. This is enhanced by external viewpoints, but not when they create a high-stakes climate of fear."

He added: "After the coroner's report into Ruth Perry's death, the Commons Inquiry, various reports and recommendations from unions and others, for the DfE to say the single word judgments remain is a huge missed opportunity and prioritises convenience for government over the wellbeing of those who work in schools and risks further tragic consequences.

"Protecting the wellbeing of all staff is vitally important if we are to have good schools. Whilst in our case the team who inspected us were well-led and fair, this is far from always the experience of inspections, there is too much variability, a lack of consistency and transparency and, crucially, not enough predictability about the timing and nature of inspections.

"We are very keen to take the inspection in our stride and not make too much of it. We won't be putting up banners or sticking quotes from the report everywhere, but, because we have to, the report will be on our website for anyone to read."

Ben prefers any prospective or current parent to visit the school for a tour, speak to pupils and staff and get a feel for the place that this is first-hand. He added: "What you can feel around school, especially amongst staff, is the relief that Ofsted has come and gone, that they can get on with their work without the fear of the phone going, without the anxiety that something volatile and potentially very unfair will happen to their school.

"I was on duty in the yard and a year 8 came up to me and said 'well done on the inspection, Sir, good work'. Moments like that say a lot about our pupils. Overall, nothing changes, we keep doing what we do and working to make the school even better, for everyone, day-by-day."

An Ofsted spokesperson said: "Ofsted aims always to be a force for good in this country, ensuring schools, children's homes, nurseries and colleges deliver the highest standards of education and care to children.

"But we know we can improve. That is why we launched the Big Listen, which invites feedback from parents, professionals and children on everything we do."

A Department for Education spokesperson said: “We have no plans to remove one-word judgements. They give parents the confidence in choosing the right school for their child and provide a clear basis for taking action to improve underperforming schools.

“The Secretary of State has been clear that we will continue to consider ways to improve the current system, including looking at international approaches, and we are looking forward to hearing the views of teachers, parents and children through the Big Listen.”