More than half of headteachers in England who were polled after their schools were inspected under Ofsted’s new regime are considering cutting short their careers as a result of the experience, according to a survey by the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT).

In response to the question “Has the inspection affected how long you intend to stay in your role?”, 52% of those who responded said they were thinking of leaving their job sooner than planned. The survey, published on Tuesday 10 November 2026, drew 242 responses between June and October.

Inspectors’ visits described as much more intense

Almost two-thirds of respondents, 64%, said the new inspections were “much more intense” than under the previous framework. Nearly nine in 10, 86%, said they struggled with their mental health and wellbeing while inspectors were on site.

The findings add to a growing row over the inspection system. Teaching unions have declared no confidence in the schools watchdog and have threatened strike ballots unless significant wellbeing issues caused by the new inspection framework are fixed.

Ofsted says it has worked closely with teaching unions over the past three years to reform how inspections work and reduce unnecessary pressure on teachers, including by involving parents in designing the new inspection reports.

A framework overhauled after Ruth Perry’s death

The new regime is the result of a radical overhaul that followed the death of primary school headteacher Ruth Perry in January 2023. Mrs Perry took her own life while awaiting the outcome of an Ofsted inspection report that saw her school go from outstanding to inadequate.

Ofsted scrapped single-word judgements and replaced them with report cards giving different grades for different areas of a school. But headteachers’ leaders say the change has not eased the pressure.

In a separate NAHT survey of more than 5,000 members published in September 2026, nearly three-quarters of school leaders said inspection had got worse in the year since the reformed framework was introduced. The union called for graded inspections to be halted while the system is reviewed, arguing that the framework is even more stressful than the one before it and poses a risk to the wellbeing of school leaders and teachers.

What happens next

The NAHT findings land as Education Secretary Lucy Powell is reported to be considering reforms to the inspection system. The union wants ministers to replace high-stakes grades with a short narrative report on a school’s strengths and areas for development.

For now, the survey suggests the inspection regime is driving experienced leaders out of the profession at a time when schools already struggle to recruit headteachers. Only one in five senior leaders expressed an ambition to become a headteacher in a 2025 NAHT survey, the lowest proportion since the union began tracking the figure.

Whether ministers act on the NAHT’s call to pause graded inspections will be watched closely by headteachers, unions and parents in the weeks ahead.