Back in 2011, when I joined a school as an assistant headteacher, Ofsted came calling three weeks into my new job. There was no deputy. Just the head and two assistants – and we were all new to post. It was a tricky time to say the very least. Mainly because we were destined to be labeled ‘inadequate’ for a whole host of reasons - one being an unsigned fire safety certificate.  

To be fair, the Ofsted inspector turned up intending to fail us. No matter what we said or tried to prove, he had come with his mind made up. His friends and family called him George; we called him ‘W**ker’.  

Luckily, the head worked hard, with me as a pretty useless supporting act, to nudge us into ‘satisfactory’. At the end of the inspection, we were exhausted. But we knew we had a job to do. Ofsted would be returning within the year and sh*t needed to change… fast. 

We spent the next few months turning that school around. And I’m delighted to say that when the next inspector rocked up - who actually was a headteacher and not someone who should have retired with the dinosaurs - we got a ‘good’. 

But during those months between the two inspections, it had become almost impossible to talk about anything else. It was Ofsted this and Ofsted that. Both the head and I realised we were talking about very little else with our team, which undoubtedly impacted morale.  

Once re-inspected, we vowed to stop the ‘O’ word from escaping our lips for a very long time. 

The 'O' Word Obsession 

Let's be honest, shall we? In some schools, "Ofsted" has become the educational equivalent of Voldemort – a word that sends shivers down spines and causes any remnants of soul to be sucked out of the staffroom quicker than you can say ‘photocopier jam’.  

Count how many times it's mentioned in your staff meetings. Go on, I dare you. It might explain why your staffroom biscuit consumption has reached crisis levels. 

As school leaders, we've all been guilty of it: "Ofsted would like to see..." has become our educational chat-up line. But during Stress Awareness Month, it's worth asking if our Ofsted-obsessed language is creating a staff room full of marking-possessed zombies rather than the passionate teachers who bounced through your doors at interview. 

Breaking Up With Ofsted (Sort Of) 

I'm not suggesting you ghost Ofsted completely. They'd notice - and that would be awkward. But perhaps it's time to move your relationship status from ‘It's complicated’ to ‘Just good friends who occasionally meet for coffee.’

It’s about mastering the art of the Ofsted pivot: 

• Instead of: "Ofsted will want evidence of vocabulary development" (cue collective staff groan) 
• Try: "Our kids deserve to know what 'discombobulated' means, and not just because Mrs Creegan feels that way every Monday morning." 

Same standard, less cortisol, more purpose. Everyone wins. 

Finding Your Ofsted Sweet-Spot 

Finding the right balance in how we talk about Ofsted isn't easy. The stakes are undeniably high - and the pressure very real for everyone, not just school leaders.  

What we're aiming for is a healthier relationship with inspections – acknowledging their importance while not letting them hijack every conversation. It's about creating a school culture where Ofsted is neither ignored nor allowed to become the sun around which every decision orbits. After all, our schools are so much more than their last inspection outcome.

There's a delicate balance to strike here. The pressure of inspections can't simply be wished away - we all know its profound impact on wellbeing. The key is being intentional about when and how Ofsted enters the chat. Ask whether bringing it up serves a purpose or merely amplifies anxiety.  

Sometimes, shifting focus to the fundamental joy of teaching and learning creates space for your team to breathe - and remember why they chose education in the first place. 

A New Era: Beyond the Single-Word Judgment 

With Ofsted's February 2025 announcement scrapping single-word judgments, we're finally escaping the educational equivalent of speed dating. This significant shift acknowledges what many of us have been saying for years now: complex educational environments cannot be reduced to simplistic labels.

This change is the perfect excuse to take the conversation in a new direction. Rather than obsessing over a specific grade like it's the educational lottery, we can engage with actual meaningful feedback. It's a revolutionary concept, I know. 

A Shift in School Culture 

Creating this cultural shift isn't about blaming anyone for caring too much - we know every teacher and leader is doing their absolute best. It's about collectively agreeing to change the conversation, bit by bit, acknowledging that moving away from an Ofsted-dominated culture takes time, patience, and a whole-school commitment.  

When we support each other in this shift, the benefits ripple through to both staff wellbeing and the children’s experiences of school life. Implementing culture change takes time and focus, but it's so worth sticking with it. 

So perhaps during this Stress Awareness Month, perhaps the kindest gift you can give your staff is permission to think beyond the big 'O' and reconnect with the educational passion that got them into teaching – in those blissful days before they even knew what a deep dive was. 

If you’d like some FREE resources - head on over to our Stress Awareness page - it’s even got a 30-day wellbeing challenge to help make your school day better. Unfortunately, running away when ‘the call’ comes isn’t one of them.