Overview

• Amanda Spielman, who led Ofsted from 2017 to 2023, is reportedly set to be nominated for a peerage by the Conservative Party, though the nomination has not been officially confirmed.
• The reported nomination has drawn backlash from Ruth Perry's family and education leaders, who argue her tenure was marked by systemic failures in the inspection process.
• Ruth Perry, a headteacher, died by suicide in January 2023 after her school was downgraded to 'inadequate' following an Ofsted inspection, which a coroner ruled contributed to her death.
• Critics, including the National Education Union, continue to call for significant reforms to the Ofsted inspection system, particularly the removal of single-word school ratings.
• Spielman has defended the inspection framework implemented during her tenure, while also facing criticism for opposing Labour's education reforms earlier this month.