Ofsted chief admits to ‘culture of fear’ around England’s school inspections

Amanda Spielman says for vast majority of schools ‘it’s a positive and affirming experience’

The head of Ofsted has admitted that “a culture of fear” exists around England’s school inspections but said she had no reason to doubt the system of school gradings that has been blamed for the death of a headteacher.

Amanda Spielman, the chief inspector of schools in England, made the comments in her first interview since the death of the Berkshire headteacher Ruth Perry following a critical Ofsted report that abruptly downgraded Perry’s school from “outstanding” to “inadequate”.