Last month, the NAHT said testimonies from its members, seen by the BBC, suggested some school leaders had faced “intolerable” pressure because of the new inspections, leaving them “overwhelmed” and “anxious”.
It warned the system could pose a “risk to life” if changes were not forthcoming.
An independent report, commissioned by Ofsted to evaluate its new framework, concluded this week that leaders were “generally positive” about their inspection experience, and that it was “more collaborative and accounts for context better than previous inspections”.
But it also said nearly half (48%) of school leaders who responded to its survey said their staff’s mental wellbeing had been negatively affected “a fair amount” or “a lot” by a recent inspection.
The interim report was based on focus groups and nearly 700 responses from school, college and early years leaders who were invited to complete a survey following inspections this year. A full report is due to be published next year.
Sir Martyn said: “The data published today shows that we are on the right track.
“I know that workload and wellbeing in education continue to be challenging, and I don’t take that lightly.
“We will keep listening to feedback from professionals and parents alike as we continue to improve what we do.”
The DfE said “inspection and accountability are vital, but they must reflect the reality of what is happening in schools, recognise the context they are working in, and support improvement rather than add to the pressures they already face”.
