More than half of school leaders consider quitting after new Ofsted inspections, survey finds

More than half of school leaders are considering leaving their role sooner than planned after experiencing inspection under Ofsted’s revised framework, according to new survey findings released by school leaders’ union NAHT.

NAHT has published the findings to coincide with the first anniversary of the inspection framework introduced on 10 November 2025. The changes were intended to address long-standing concerns about the impact of inspections on school leaders’ mental health and wellbeing.

However, according to NAHT’s survey, many leaders believe the revised framework has increased pressure rather than reduced it. The union says the findings raise serious concerns about the impact of inspections on leader wellbeing and the future retention of experienced school staff.

The survey found that 52 per cent of respondents who had recently undergone inspection are considering leaving their role sooner than planned. The union argues that the increased intensity of inspections is contributing to worsening wellbeing and prompting some leaders to question their future in the profession.

Concerns over wellbeing and retention

According to the survey, nearly nine in ten respondents (86 per cent) said the new inspections had negatively affected their mental health and wellbeing while inspectors were on site.

Of those, 35 per cent said the impact was disproportionate or excessively high. 22 per cent described the impact as severe, with a lasting or harmful effect.

More than eight in ten school leaders (83 per cent) felt inspections were more intense than under the previous system. Of those, almost two-thirds (64 per cent) said inspections were “much more” intense.

One primary headteacher said:

“Not sure my physical or mental health could cope with another inspection like this framework. Have been a head for 15 years across three schools and have never felt less able to do my job than I did during the inspection.”

Another said:

“I do not want to physically and mentally go through the whole run up and the inspection itself again. The freedom I feel in my head knowing I won’t have to impacts my life and mental health every day. My husband was very concerned about me and doesn’t want to see me go through that again.”

Meanwhile, a deputy headteacher at an all-through school said:

“I previously had aspirations for headship. I will now never go for headship. The stress and anxiety of the inspection has ended that dream. I am an extremely experienced deputy headteacher… this is the most challenging Ofsted I have ever completed in a career of over 20 years with 11 of them across schools where I have been brought in specifically to raise standards – leaving every setting I have worked in with an outstanding Ofsted grade in my areas.”

Calls for fundamental reform

Responding to the findings, NAHT general secretary Paul Whiteman said:

“These findings represent the unmitigated failure of an unaccountable and out of control inspectorate.

“Ofsted’s actions are driving experienced leaders from the profession and deterring talented people from stepping into leadership and headship roles. That inevitably impacts the direction of a school, and the education it provides, and it is children who end up paying the price.

“Rather than engage and collaborate with the profession to devise a fair and proportionate accountability system, Ofsted has doubled down, remaining defensive, aloof and unaccountable.

“The education secretary has indicated that she is looking at further changes with Ofsted, but another belated rearranging of the deckchairs which sidelines the profession is wholly insufficient.

“The inspectorate has proved itself incapable of reform. It is clear that political will and government intervention is needed to achieve the fundamental reform that is so desperately needed.”

NAHT warned before the revised framework was introduced that replacing a single overall judgement with a series of sub-grades would not reduce pressure on school leaders. It feared the changes would continue to risk unreliable judgements that could mislead parents and trigger unfair interventions.

In September, NAHT called for graded inspections to be halted to allow for a complete rethink of the inspection system.

Stress reported throughout the inspection process

The survey suggests school leaders experience significant stress throughout every stage of the inspection process.

More than two-thirds of respondents (68 per cent) described the period when a school is “in the window” for inspection as either very stressful (37 per cent) or extremely stressful (31 per cent).

The survey found that more than eight in ten leaders (85 per cent) said the waiting period before inspection negatively affected their wellbeing. Among those respondents, 42 per cent said the impact was disproportionately high. 12 per cent even reported a severe and lasting effect.

More than three-quarters of leaders (76 per cent) said the notification and planning call with inspectors had a negative impact on their wellbeing. 33 per cent of those respondents described the impact as disproportionately high and 4 per cent said it had a severe and lasting effect.

Almost six in ten leaders (57 per cent) said waiting to receive their school’s report card negatively affected their wellbeing. More than one in five (22 per cent) said the impact was disproportionately high. 11 per cent described it as severe and lasting.

Additional comments from respondents considering leaving their role included:

“I will not do another inspection as head – I will leave before the next one – it made too much of an impact on my personal life – I didn’t see my children for months on the run up to going into window.”

“I’m very tired of the high stakes, the stress, the worry that comes from the whole process. It’s on a different level. It’s essentially a constant in your day, year, every day action.”

“I do not have long term goals to stay in the education industry as a result of this inspection. Ofsted rocked my moral compass with the handling of the first inspection and the monitoring thereafter.”

“I want to ensure I have left the profession before I have to go through another Ofsted.”

The findings are based on 242 responses from school leaders who completed NAHT’s post-inspection survey between 16 June and 27 October 2026. According to the union, all responses relate to leaders’ experiences of the revised inspection framework introduced in November 2025.