The head of one of the UK’s leading education unions has sounded the alarm over the daily struggles faced by schools in tackling toxic masculinity and online radicalisation among young boys. Paul Whiteman, General Secretary of the NAHT school leaders’ union, delivered a stark warning to delegates at the union’s annual conference in Harrogate on Friday.
Mr Whiteman urged political leaders, educators and families to unite in combatting the harmful influences that are increasingly shaping the lives of young men. He warned that without coordinated action, “a generation of boys [is] disappearing into a vortex of hatred and lies”.
His remarks follow growing public discussion around the impact of misogynistic online influencers, fuelled in part by the popularity of the recent Netflix drama Adolescence, which has brought the issue of toxic masculinity into the spotlight.
“The critically acclaimed Netflix drama Adolescence may have been a wake-up call for some,” Mr Whiteman told hundreds of school leaders in attendance, “but its portrayal of toxic masculinity and online radicalisation came as no surprise to our members, many of whom have to deal with the consequences of these issues every day.”
Mr Whiteman said the drama has sparked vital conversations around misogyny and online safety, but stressed that more tangible action is needed. “Tackling those dangers takes real leadership from politicians, from families, from teachers and from school leaders too,” he said. “If we’re serious about stopping a generation disappearing into a vortex of hatred and lies, then we must work together to show them that decency, selflessness, kindness and honesty offer the fulfilment and reassurance they’re searching for.”
He also criticised the role of technology in facilitating radicalisation and isolation. “We know that tech can bring great benefits,” he said, “but it also isolates and divides. It creates dangerous spaces in which children searching for meaning are instead fed hatred and falsehoods.”
Turning to another key issue, Mr Whiteman used his platform to once again urge Ofsted to abandon its proposed new inspection framework. Under the plans, schools would receive colour-coded ratings across eight to ten areas – ranging from “causing concern” (red) to “exemplary” (dark green) – replacing the long-criticised single-word judgements such as “inadequate” or “outstanding”.
The Government had announced last year that the headline overall grades would be scrapped, a move made in the wake of fierce backlash following the death of Reading headteacher Ruth Perry in 2023. Mrs Perry tragically took her own life after her school, Caversham Primary, was downgraded to “inadequate” over safeguarding issues.
Mr Whiteman said the union had fielded numerous distress calls from members suffering mentally due to the pressure of inspections. “Our own advice line has taken numerous calls over the years from distressed members—some feeling suicidal—because of this ineffective and needlessly punitive system,” he said. “Following Ruth’s death, we were promised change. What we’ve been offered, if you scratch beneath the surface, is more of the same – another crude grading system to hang over the heads of leaders.”
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He further challenged the belief that Ofsted’s system is the only viable method of assessing schools. “The idea that Ofsted’s model is the only way to assess schools is utter nonsense,” he declared. “Our colleagues in Wales and Northern Ireland will be the first to admit their systems aren’t perfect, but the fact they offer something broader and more nuanced than a crude traffic light system proves there is more than one way.”
On Saturday, delegates at the NAHT conference are expected to debate a motion opposing the planned Ofsted report cards and explore “legal and industrial options” to protect school staff’s wellbeing. The motion reflects growing unease within the sector that reforms may be superficial and fail to address the deeper cultural issues embedded in the inspection regime.
Earlier in the week, Julia Waters, sister of Ruth Perry, joined a group of education professionals in signing an open letter to Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson calling for a delay to the proposed reforms, which she described as “rushed”.
As concerns about student welfare and staff wellbeing grow, Mr Whiteman’s speech has reignited calls for a more compassionate, collaborative, and modern approach to school leadership and accountability.
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