Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of the way in which Ofsted inspections are conducted on the mental health and wellbeing of teachers.

Both the Department and Ofsted view the wellbeing and mental health of teachers as a priority in relation to schools. The Department is committed to destigmatising mental health, encouraging openness and ensuring that access is available to support all staff who need support and assistance.

The Department is tackling the drivers of unnecessary workload at national level, and is working with Ofsted to remove unnecessary workload connected with inspection and accountability, reducing data burdens on schools, and better assessing the impact of national policy changes on schools.

Ofsted’s 2017 to 2022 strategy published on 29 September highlights Ofsted’s focus on reducing inspection burdens, and also sets out Ofsted’s commitment to reduce regulatory burdens, streamline inspection processes and tackle the workload side effects of inspection. In addition to this, their new expanded myth-busting document should help schools to understand what is, and what is not, expected by inspectors.

These measures align with the Government’s commitment to reduce the burden of inspection. The Department will continue to engage with Ofsted as it implements its strategy.