FDA Ofsted Branch wins Group Impact Award 2026

This year’s FDA Group Impact Award was presented to the union’s Ofsted Branch. The branch had been nominated for the award in recognition of the work that went into the ‘Beyond the Framework: The people behind inspections’ report and campaign.

The report sought to challenge the media criticism and intense scrutiny of Ofsted, spotlighting the voices and perspectives of His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs), who were too often excluded from the conversation around inspections.   

Deputy Convenor Bessie Owen, who led the campaign for the Ofsted branch, says that “the work was really fascinating. Alongside FDA colleagues, we used Conscious Communications to help gather qualitative and quantitative data, interviewing different stakeholders such as inspectors, parents, school leaders to really get a sense of how people felt. Bringing this together has been so powerful. We realise how hard everyone works and how much they care. Now it’s time for the Ofsted leadership to step up and look after their people. The report clearly shows that there is so much work to be done.”

Ofsted Branch Convenor Joy Howick says the campaign “focused on bringing forward the lived experiences of inspectors, particularly around workload, travel, and pressure. What made it effective was that it was grounded in robust evidence and presented in a way that was both credible and constructive.”

Howick adds that the campaign had real impact, “at a time of intense national scrutiny” and helped to “shift the narrative. Rather than allowing a simplified or negative portrayal of inspectors, we were able to put forward a balanced, humane, and evidence-led perspective.

“The impact was tangible. We secured national media coverage, strengthened engagement with Ofsted leadership, and established a much stronger evidence base to challenge unsafe working practices where needed.

“It also changed who listens. The Ofsted Board is now engaging routinely with unions, which marks a significant shift. Alongside that, we saw a clear increase in FDA member engagement and membership growth – colleagues could see that this work delivered real outcomes.”

“Ultimately, the campaign demonstrated that when you combine member insight, strong evidence, and a professional approach, you can shape conversations at a national level and better protect the people doing complex public service work.”

Outlining what winning the award meant to the branch, Owen says, “it was so gratifying to be recognised for the impact award. There has been so much negativity about us and Ofsted – it’s so nice to own our own narrative for a change.”

Howick says the win marked “a real moment of recognition for the team. It wasn’t just about the outcome—it was about the way we approached the work: professional, evidence-based, and grounded in members’ real experiences.

It showed that thoughtful, credible campaigning can genuinely influence how people are heard, especially when the stakes are high.”

“For the team, it felt like validation that the quieter, strategic work—gathering evidence, representing members properly, and engaging constructively—really does make a difference. That’s something we’re all proud of.”