I am relieved that Amanda Spielman is no longer His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Schools. Despite the findings of both Reading Borough Council’s and Dame Christine Gilbert’s learning reviews, as well as the conclusions of the inquest into the death of Ruth Perry, it is clear from recent interviews that Spielman is incapable of taking responsibility for any failures during her time as head of Ofsted.
Spielman remains proud of the inspection framework she created: its focus, its assessments and its methods. When interviewed by Schools Week, she was given five opportunities to be self-critical. Yet she used these occasions instead to complain about factors ‘outside of her control’.
What did not go well with her reforms? She blames the Conservative government for lack of funding. She ‘regrets’ “how difficult the world finds it to talk about difficult choices”. The only thing she would change would be “to look again at communications”, and what she learned about herself is that “I’d rather be unpopular than say things I didn’t believe to be true”.
For Spielman to be given the platform to promote these views is deeply troubling for those who knew Ruth Perry. The facts around the circumstances of Ruth’s death were set out at a detailed coroner’s inquest. To contradict the now-established facts is to insult Ruth’s memory, it is inconsiderate to her family and friends, and it erodes the truth.
Spielman invites us to feel sympathy for her as just the messenger, not the author of the message. She complains: “I was in a very difficult position where people wanted me to say that the inspection had been wrong, and yet I couldn’t without undermining a serious and competent inspector.”
This is in spite of evidence heard at the inquest outlined the relative inexperience of the lead inspector, and a conclusion highlighting his “mocking and unpleasant” demeanour.
In short, Spielman has shown complete inability to find fault in either the faulty inspection system she ran, or those who operated within it.
I continue to learn nothing from someone who refuses to acknowledge there is anything to learn
Loyalty towards one’s staff and pride in one’s own work are commendable. But rigid defence of the indefensible in the face of clear evidence looks more like self-interested stubbornness.
Ruth’s inquest concluded with a ‘Prevention of Future Deaths Report’, only issued when there is a risk of further deaths if action is not taken. In response to the report, new chief inspector Sir Martyn Oliver apologised sincerely “for the part our inspection of her school played in her death”.
He added: “Such tragedies should never happen again, and no one should feel as Ruth did. We accept the coroner’s findings.”
Does Amanda Spielman? Ruth Perry did not take her own life because, as Spielman incorrectly suggests, she “learned of serious failings in her school, which so regrettably led to her fearing for her job and reputation”.
As the coroner reported, an Ofsted inspection “which lacked fairness, respect and sensitivity” and “was at times rude and intimidating” contributed to her death. Ruth was overwhelmed by the injustice of its conclusions, the severity of its consequences and the powerlessness she felt in the face of an unyielding organisation.
In her conclusions, the coroner said: “Ofsted’s approach has been to make public statements… setting out their view on whether Ruth’s death was linked to the inspection and how it was carried out. They have publicly described this tragedy as a pivot, used to try and discredit what Ofsted does.” And it seems Spielman is still at it.
Since Ruth’s death in January 2023, Spielman has shown little introspection, humility or acceptance that Ofsted did anything wrong at Caversham Primary. She continues to assert that criticism of her leadership and Ofsted’s actions is unjustified and unfair.
I have heard her responses before in interviews, at conferences, and during the Commons Education Committee inquiry. I continue to learn nothing from someone who refuses to acknowledge there is anything to learn.
At this point, the best contribution Amanda Spielman could make to the debate on Ofsted reform would be to keep quiet.
