School Inspections

Tom and guests, Michael Brotherton and Emma Swann, discuss the law on school inspections. In the wake of the terrible death of Ruth Perry, a headteacher who took her own life in January 2023 knowing that a report labelling her school “Inadequate” was going to be published, they reflect on where matters stand legally. They listen to a headteacher about his own experience of feeling powerless to challenge an inspectorate threatening to fail his school. And then ask how far the so-called “Big Listen” being undertaken by Ofsted in the wake of Ruth Perry’s death is capable of changing the legal and regulatory regimes applying to schools. Michael Brotherton is a partner in the Education Team at leading law firm Stone King. He focusses predominantly on operational aspects of school life, including pupil/parent issues, equality act claims and governance, as well as acting on challenges against Ofsted. Emma Swann is an Education partner and Head of Academies at HCR and has been advising schools on pastoral, governance and commercial matters for over 20 years. She is also a Trustee and sits on the Board of the Institute of School Business Leadership.