A review of mental health morbidity associated with OFSTED inspections of schools in one metropolitan local authority

Anecdotally there appeared to be a relationship between OFSTED inspections and mental health morbidity. This study was set up to examine this relationship in one metropolitan local authority. Inspected schools were matched with schools from the same local authority that were not inspected. The rate of sickness absence per 100 whole time equivalent staff in inspected schools was 5.4 as compared with 2.1 in matched schools. The relative risk of a spell of sickness absence due to mental ill-health in an inspected versus an uninspected school was 2.52 (95% confidence interval = 1.19-5.31). The study indicates that there may be a relationship between the OFSTED inspection process and mental health morbidity. Some recommendations are made.