PODCAST · education

Four former HMI and an Executive Headteacher discuss an awful Ofsted experience

by Frank Norris

On 9th November 2025, five former HMI sat down and recorded a chat about their concerns for the new Ofsted inspection Framework. They welcomed the inclusion theme but were worried whether the Toolkit was fit for purpose, could inspectors accurately judge achievement without secure progress measures, how would the combination of behaviour and attendance play out and were inspectors skilled, experienced and adequately trained for their more challenging role.Over 700 watched the video, so we decided to revisit the Ofsted inspection Fwk now that over 6 months had passed since its launch. To help, we invited John Hayes, an experienced Executive Headteacher, who was leading a school in January that had an inspection. His story is worth considering because it is not a positive one and highlights significant challenges for the inspectorate.We note this inspection may not be indicative of all inspections, but the four former HMI have heard similar stories from other sen