Major Overhaul: UK Government Scraps One-Word Ofsted Ratings, Introduces Detailed School Report Cards

Single-term Ofsted evaluations for schools will be discontinued at once. This decision comes after consultations with educational stakeholders and relatives of headteacher Ruth Perry, whose suicide was linked to an Ofsted review.

Political correspondent @fayebrownSky

Monday, September 2, 2024, 8:

Single-word Ofsted ratings for public schools have been discontinued effective immediately, a decision celebrated as a "significant milestone for children."

In the past, the educational oversight body assigned one of four ratings to the schools it evaluated: outstanding, good, requires improvement, or inadequate.

Starting this academic year, the Department for Education (DfE) has announced that four new grades will be assigned within the existing sub-categories: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management.

Starting in September 2025, schools will begin issuing report cards. These will offer parents detailed evaluations of school performance and help make school inspections more impactful in promoting enhancements, the statement said.

The decision came after consultations with educational stakeholders and relatives of Ruth Perry, the principal who died by suicide following an Ofsted evaluation that lowered the rating of her Caversham Primary School in Reading from "outstanding" to "inadequate" due to issues with safeguarding.

In 2022, a coroner's inquest determined that the inspection procedures played a role in her demise.

The Department for Education stated that simplistic, single phrase grades do not offer a just and precise evaluation of a school’s overall performance. They added that this reform will aid in eliminating obstacles to opportunity.

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Speaking on Sky News' "Breakfast with Kay Burley," Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson announced: "We are implementing this change today as I think it's essential for parents to have better insights into the activities happening in our schools, since the current system is failing to deliver.

"The stakes are too high, and it lacks a precise emphasis on improving our schools' standards. This is crucial because I desire for every child to receive an excellent education and a strong foundation for their future."

The new Labour administration has prioritized transformation, pledging to enhance public education quality and create extra revenue by imposing a tax on private school tuition.

In today's announcement, the government revealed its strategy to focus on enhancing programs for schools that are underperforming, instead of opting to alter their management.

Starting in early 2025, regional enhancement groups will be deployed to assist schools that are struggling, focusing on improving their areas of deficiency.

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In situations where schools receive the lowest possible rating of inadequate, the government will maintain its policy of intervention.

The Department for Education (DfE) mentioned that one option might be to issue an academy order, compelling state schools to transition into academies, potentially resulting in a change of management in certain cases.

Ms. Phillipson previously stated, "It is absolutely evident that we must reform Ofsted to ensure consistently high and improving standards for every child in every school."

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"Eliminating headline grades marks a significant generational shift and a pivotal moment for students, parents, and educators."

She also mentioned that summary grades provide minimal information for parents while having significant consequences for schools.

"Parents need a more comprehensive and transparent understanding of school performance, and that's exactly what our report cards aim to offer."

"This administration is committed to enhancing the effectiveness and transparency of inspections to foster betterment in schools. We pledged to bring about reform, and we are now fulfilling that commitment."

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Changes 'might be more extensive'

The news breaks as students make their way back to school this week.

The elimination of individual headline ratings will be implemented in state schools scheduled for evaluation this academic year, with plans for similar changes to be extended to private schools and colleges subsequently.

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Teaching unions have expressed support for the plans, having advocated for changes for a considerable time.

Paul Whiteman, the general secretary of the National Association of Headteachers, stated: "We have consistently expressed that simplistic single-word evaluations are damaging, and we are gratified that the government has acted quickly to eliminate them."

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Dr. Patrick Roach, the general secretary of NASUWT, acknowledged that the new government has made a commendable choice but suggested they could do more to dispel the myth that transforming into an academy is the sole path to enhancing our schools.

"Although today's declarations mark a significant move forward, without comprehensive and fundamental changes to repair the underlying issues of the faulty accountability system, teachers and school leaders will still be operating within an inherently imperfect system," he stated.

Tune into The Politics Hub on Sky News tonight at 7pm.

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