Responding to the news that His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Martyn Oliver, today announced that he has appointed Dame Christine Gilbert to lead an independent learning review into Ofsted’s response to the tragic death of Ruth Perry, Paul Whiteman general secretary of the school leaders' union, the NAHT said:

“This independent review is a vital piece of work. The NAHT know Christine Gilbert well and she is a widely respected and knowledgeable figure in education. We believe that she will have the insight and determination to carry out a comprehensive review of Ofsted’s response to the tragic death of Ruth Perry. However, it is important to confront head-on the concern that some might express about a former chief inspector reviewing the work of Ofsted. It is therefore crucial that the review demonstrates a robust level of independence and impartiality.  This is even more important on the back of the Big Listen exercise which has disappointed many within the profession. Ofsted must demonstrate that it is serious about making changes that are long overdue.”