Ex-Ofsted chief lashes out at Labour's school reforms

The former head of Ofsted has lashed out at the education secretary, accusing her of caring more about the interests of unions than schoolchildren. In a scathing broadside at Bridget Phillipson’s education reforms, Amanda Spielman accused her of bowing to the “demands of unions”. And Ms Spielman, who stood down as the head of the schools watchdog in 2023, called for her to abandon the plans “before the damage is done”.

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But a government source hit back at Ms Spielman, saying she should “spend less time criticising the reforms this government is bringing and more time reflecting on her failure at Ofsted and on a teaching profession that entirely lost confidence in her as chief inspector”.

Writing in The Daily Telegraph, Ms Spielman said: “It is hard to understand the motivation, beyond being seen to be different, though the new minister is clearly giving a great deal of time and attention to the desires and demands of unions. And alas, unions will always defend the interests of the adults in schools over those of children... I do hope she will think again, before the damage is done.”

She said she was “astonished… by the speed and thoroughness with which Bridget Phillipson has moved to dismantle every main pillar of the system”.