OFSTED’S new “Nandos-style” ratings and the former watchdog’s chief inspector Amanda Spielman’s peerage were slammed at the National Education Union’s annual conference today.

Delegates said the inspectorate’s complaints procedures remained “Kafkaesque” as they backed a motion calling her admission to the House of Lords an “insult.”

Ms Spielman was Ofsted’s chief inspector when head teacher Ruth Perry took her own life after an inspection in January 2023 after learning that her school, Caversham Primary School in Berkshire, was to be downgraded from “outstanding” to “inadequate.”

An inquest found that such a move contributed to her death and Ofsted’s handling of her suicide was branded “defensive and complacent” in an independent review last year.

Reading delegate Paul Arnold hit out at attempts to deflect blame from Ofsted after Ms Perry’s suicide, saying: “Spielman has continued to deny Ofsted’s involvement in it, defending inspectors who were said to be mocking and unpleasant, and should be deposed of any title of honour.

“That she should admitted to the House of Lords is an insult to all of us and should in no uncertain terms be condemned.”

Shropshire delegate Josh Harry added: “To be offered a peerage while shirking any responsibility is grotesque.

“It’s a further example of those in power patting themselves on the back and a kick in the teeth to Ruth Perry’s family.”

Moving the motion, executive delegate Nicola Sarah Hawkins said that Ofsted “replaces collaboration with control and competition and masks the need for investment by its sad rankings and playing of individualised blame games.”

Seconding, executive delegate Jennifer Cooper added: “We hoped that Ruth Perry’s death would result in change, but instead the new Nandos-style spice chart, with its patronising RAG ratings, just reinforces to us that we and our children are just data, numbers and colours on a AI chart.

“Let’s be clear: Ofsted hasn’t listened, the government hasn’t listened.

“Ofsted transmits but it doesn’t receive: nowhere has this been experienced most clearly than following an inspection of Byron Court in Brent, when a complaint was lodged under Ofsted’s new complaints procedure.

“Every piece of evidence submitted was disregarded as untrue. 

“This a Kafkaesque trial, not a constructive accountability system.

“Let’s never forget: at least 10 people among our workforce have Ofsted as a contributory factor listed on their coroner’s report.”

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch nominated Ms Spielman to become a peer, it was reported last month.