Teachers and school leaders will present a petition to the government on Thursday calling for Ofsted’s replacement.
The petition was started before Headmistress Ruth Perry took her own life while awaiting an Ofsted report.
Ms Perry’s family have attributed her death to “excruciating pressure” from the inspectorate, which downgraded her primary school to “inadequate”.
The Department of Education says inspections are “hugely important” and “required by law”.
The National Education Union, which leads the group, wants Ofsted, England’s school guardian, to be replaced with a “supportive, effective and fair” accountability system.
The petition, signed by 45,000 people, also calls on the government to work with teachers and leaders to see how they are performing in other high-performing education nations.
Estyn, which runs inspections in Wales, has replaced a single overall score with a summary of results, focusing on a school’s strengths and areas of development, and a separate report summary for parents.
- Why are outstanding schools downgraded?
- Schools cut Ofsted references in homage to the head
After an inspection in England, the schools are rated:
- terrific
- Good
- needs improvement
- insufficient
It is “absurd that the whole of school life is condensed into a single word judgment,” said NEU Deputy Secretary General Niamh Sweeny.
Accountability is important, but “the culture of inspection and monitoring” is letting many employees go, she added.
Three teachers’ unions, including the NEU, have called for inspections to be suspended and for a review.
Some principals are also removing references to Ofsted from websites, job advertisements and letters in Ms Perry’s honor.
And James Denny, a Reading parent who works with schools to help children experience more arts and culture, is organizing a vigil outside Ofsted’s London office on Thursday.
He recalls the fear an Ofsted inspection brought to schools as a child in the 1990s, but “things have gotten so much worse since”.
He has not campaigned against Ofsted inspectors, Mr Denny said, but the way the watchdog works “is no longer fit for purpose”.
The Department of Education said inspections hold schools accountable for their educational standards and “parents rely heavily on the ratings to give them confidence in choosing the right school for their child.”
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