Two of England’s biggest education unions have now said they have no confidence in Ofsted’s leadership. The school leaders’ union ASCL passed a vote of no confidence on 9 October 2026, and five days later the National Education Union (NEU) called for chief inspector Sir Martyn Oliver to stand down.
The row centres on the renewed inspection framework and its impact on staff wellbeing and workload. Here are 17 things worth knowing about the Ofsted no confidence vote, particularly for classroom teachers, middle leaders, headteachers and anyone preparing for an inspection this year.
1. ASCL has passed a vote of no confidence in Ofsted’s leadership
The vote was taken by ASCL’s ruling council, made up of around 60 school and college leaders, at a meeting in the Midlands. The union said it had seen no meaningful progress from Ofsted on the workload and wellbeing problems caused by inspection, and that it did not believe real change was possible within the inspectorate’s current culture.
2. ASCL wants inspections paused and reviewed
The union has called on the government to pause inspections and carry out an urgent review of the inspection system. General secretary Pepe Di’Iasio described the current system as not fit for purpose and said the union had only taken the step after repeated attempts at negotiation failed.
3. Industrial action is being discussed
ASCL has agreed to survey its members on whether to hold an indicative ballot on industrial action if change does not come. This is an early step, not a ballot itself, but it shows how far relations between leaders and the inspectorate have deteriorated.
4. Leaders have specific concerns about the framework
Beyond wellbeing, ASCL’s statement raised three further concerns:
- Schools serving disadvantaged communities are being penalised by the inspection methodology.
- Not enough weight may be given to comparisons with similar schools, so context is not properly taken into account.
- Report cards are hard for parents to understand without reading the toolkits used by inspectors.
5. The NEU says Martyn Oliver should go
On 14 October, NEU general secretary Daniel Kebede said the chief inspector had “lost the confidence of the profession” and should step down. The NEU is the country’s largest teaching union, so its intervention moves the row beyond school leaders and into staffrooms.
6. 98 per cent of NEU members surveyed lack confidence in Ofsted
The NEU polled almost 7,000 members in English state schools overnight. Ninety-eight per cent said they did not have confidence in Ofsted’s current leadership. It was a quick internal poll rather than a formal ballot, but the result was close to unanimous.
7. Most NEU members want an immediate pause on inspections
Of those surveyed, 96 per cent backed an urgent review of the new inspection framework, and the same proportion supported an immediate pause on inspections while that review takes place.
8. The trigger was Ofsted’s own research
The vote came on the same day Ofsted published interim findings from independent research it had commissioned into its renewed education inspection framework. Unions described the results as damning.
9. Almost 9 in 10 schools reported a negative impact on wellbeing
The research found that 88 per cent of surveyed schools said their inspection had harmed their own or their staff’s wellbeing. Half reported a significant impact.
10. Half said inspection workload was unmanageable
Around half of schools said their inspection created an unmanageable level of workload. The NEU points out that many teachers already work more than 50 hours a week, which is why unions see this as one of the most significant findings in the report.
11. The research also found some positives
Most providers said inspections had been carried out respectfully, and more than six in 10 said their inspection would help improve their setting. Sir Martyn Oliver said the research showed Ofsted was on the right track, a response that drew strong criticism from unions.
12. The new framework replaced single-word grades with report cards
Ofsted’s renewed framework was introduced in late 2025 with the aim of reducing pressure on schools. It replaced the headline grade with a report card that gives schools one of five ratings across at least six judgement areas.
13. Unions say the promised reset has not happened
One-word judgements were scrapped in September 2024, following the death of Caversham Primary School headteacher Ruth Perry. The NEU argues that this was meant to signal a fresh start, but that the pressure on schools has not eased under the new system.
14. Ofsted admits there is more to do
Ofsted says it has worked hard to reduce the pressure of inspection, but accepts that workload and wellbeing remain a challenge. It describes its job as a balance between maintaining high standards for children and reducing pressure on heads and teachers, and says it is working with the Department for Education on improvements.
15. The government has not said whether it backs Ofsted’s leadership
Asked whether education secretary Lucy Powell has confidence in Ofsted’s leadership, the DfE did not answer directly. It said inspection must reflect the reality of schools and support improvement rather than add to pressure, and that it is working with Ofsted and leaders to make accountability fair and proportionate.
16. Changes to Ofsted may be coming
Lucy Powell is understood to be planning changes at the inspectorate within the next few months, although no details have been announced. At the time of writing, inspections are continuing as normal and no pause has been confirmed.
17. There are practical steps teachers can take now
Whatever happens nationally, schools still need to be ready for inspection. In the meantime:
- Read the inspection toolkit for your phase so you know what inspectors will look at.
- Ask leaders what inspection preparation is genuinely needed, and challenge work that only exists for Ofsted.
- Check what support your union offers before, during and after an inspection.
- Look out for colleagues, particularly leaders, during an inspection week.
- Use free, confidential support from the charity Education Support if inspection pressure is affecting you.
Find Out More
Schools Week: ASCL council passes no confidence vote in Ofsted’s leadership
Schools Week: Second union calls for Ofsted leadership change
Ofsted: Independent research on the new-look inspections
Has your school been inspected under the new framework? Teach17 would love to hear about your experience. Get in touch.