The government has confirmed it is backing Sir Martyn Oliver, the chief executive of Outwood Grange Academies Trust, to be the next chief inspector of Ofsted.
The Department for Education said today that he had been chosen as the preferred candidate because “he is an accomplished school and trust leader with a track record of driving up standards in areas with high levels of disadvantage”.
Tes revealed earlier this year that Sir Martyn was one of three multi-academy trust chief executives in the running to be the next Ofsted chief inspector.
Sir Martyn has been a high-profile critic of the way Ofsted’s curriculum-focused inspections have been implemented.
Before his appointment is confirmed he will face questions from MPs on the Commons Education Select Committee in September. He would then start a five-year term from 2024 when Amanda Spielman’s seven years in charge of the schools watchdog comes to an end.
Sir Martyn said: “I am deeply honoured and hugely privileged to have been recommended for this role. Subject to the pre-appointment hearing, I can promise that I will work extremely hard and very closely with the whole sector so that we can together build on what has been done to date to create the best system in all areas of education, children’s services and skills for the benefit of children and young people.
“Working with others, prioritising inclusion and aiming for the highest standards in all areas have been key principles for Outwood Grange Academies Trust under my leadership, and these would remain the case if I am appointed to the Ofsted role.”
Next Ofsted boss ‘has shown exemplary leadership’
Education secretary Gillian Keegan said: ”Sir Martyn Oliver has demonstrated exemplary leadership and an unwavering commitment to driving up standards in areas of disadvantage in his time as a school and trust leader.
“I want to sincerely thank Amanda Spielman for successfully steering Ofsted over the last seven years, introducing key reforms, including hugely important new education and social care inspection frameworks. I am confident the breadth of Martyn’s experience will enable him to build on this vital work as Ofsted moves into the future.”
Tes reported on Sunday that Sir Martyn was set to be announced as the government’s choice to be the next chief inspector, and the DfE confirmed this today.
It is understood that Sir Martyn and Sir Ian Bauckham, the chair of Ofqual and chief executive of Tenax Schools Trust, were the final two candidates and that both were interviewed by Ms Keegan.
The role as His Majesty’s chief inspector (HMCI) is a Crown appointment that will not be confirmed until an order is laid by the Privy Council.
Sir Martyn is set to take over Ofsted at a time when the inspectorate has faced a backlash and calls for reform following the death of headteacher Ruth Perry. Her family said she took her own life after a negative Ofsted inspection, which subsequently resulted in her school being downgraded from “outstanding” to “inadequate”.
He could also face a change of government in his first year in the post after next year’s general election. Labour has said that, if elected, it would consult on scrapping single-word inspection grades and replacing them with a school score card.
In its statement today, the DfE praised Sir Martyn’s record on school improvement.
It said that 35 schools supported by Outwood Grange Academies Trust (OGAT) have been inspected, of which 28 have improved their Ofsted rating - including eight that were “inadequate” or “requires improvement” when they started working with OGAT and are now rated “outstanding”.
However, OGAT has also been the source of controversy in the past with concerns raised about the rate of suspensions in some of its schools and anonymous accounts from staff about how the trust took an uncompromising approach when it took over a new school as part of a process known as “flattening the grass”.
In 2019-20 Sir Martyn was among a number of high-profile academy trust chief executives who criticised Ofsted over its newly launched inspection framework amid concerns that its new focus on curriculum and reduced focus on exam and test scores was penalising schools in disadvantaged circumstances that were focused on academic results.
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “We would like to congratulate Sir Martyn Oliver on his appointment, subject to approval, as the new head of Ofsted. Sir Martyn is a highly experienced and effective education leader and we look forward to working with him as chief inspector.
“Ofsted is in great need of reform and we welcome Sir Martyn’s commitment to working closely with the whole education sector. In particular, we will be seeking reform of the inspectorate to ensure that inspections are more consistent, supportive and fairer. There is widespread support for the scrapping of blunt single-word judgements and we hope that this will now be a priority.”
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT school leaders’ union, offered his congratulations to Sir Martyn. “This appointment comes at a critical moment in Ofsted’s history, with there now being widespread acceptance that significant reform to school inspection in England is urgently required,” he said.
“Subject to the appointment being approved, we look forward to engaging with Sir Martyn and discussing what role a reformed inspectorate should play going forward.”
