The principal of a Worcestershire college says Ofsted inspections do not always take the wellbeing of staff into account.

The watchdog has announced changes to the inspection system in England following the death of headteacher Ruth Perry, after her school was downgraded to the lowest rating by Ofsted.

But Ms Perry’s sister, Professor Julia Waters, and education unions have criticised the changes announced by Ofsted, saying they must go further.

Jon Bell, principal at Bankside College, a specialist college near Malvern for young people with autism, said: “I was headteacher of a mainstream school for seven years before coming here.

“I’ve been through two Ofsted inspections and a few as deputy head before that.

READ MORE: New principal appointed as Bankside College plans to open school

“I’ve always found Ofsted inspectors to be supportive and understanding. But the wellbeing of school staff and leadership is sometimes not at the front of people’s minds.

“A one-word judgement does not give justice to the hard work of staff and students at the school.

"We have to start giving parents more credit - that they can read a report.”

As part of the changes announced by Ofsted, schools will be given more information around the timing of their inspections, and a consultation on reforms to the complaints system will be launched.

Schools graded inadequate overall only due to ineffective safeguarding – but where all other judgments were good or better – will be revisited by inspectors within three months of a report being published as part of the reforms.

This comes after an Ofsted report found Caversham Primary School in Reading, Berkshire – where Ms Perry was headteacher – to be “good” in every category apart from leadership and management, where it was rated as “inadequate”.

Since Ms Perry’s death in January there have been calls for one-word ratings to be abolished.

Prof Waters told BBC Breakfast the refusal to remove the single-word judgment was a “mistake”.

She said: “It’s something that I, and I know the majority of the teaching profession, will continue to push to get removed.”

As part of the changes announced on Monday, inspection reports will refer to the school, rather than individuals, when discussing areas of weakness.

Education secretary Gillian Keegan said: “I have committed to continuing our work on improving the way we inspect our schools with Ofsted and the family of Ruth Perry following her tragic death.”