Revamping School Assessments: UK Government Scraps One-Word Ofsted Ratings Amid Calls for Comprehensive Reform

Single-word Ofsted evaluations for schools to be discontinued at once

This adjustment comes after discussions with educational stakeholders and relatives of headteacher Ruth Perry, whose suicide followed an Ofsted review.

Political correspondent @fayebrownSky

Monday, September 2, 2024, 08:

State schools will no longer receive single-word Ofsted ratings, effective immediately, a change that has been celebrated as a "significant milestone for children."

In the past, the educational oversight body categorized schools it reviewed into one of four grades: outstanding, good, requires improvement, or inadequate.

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

Starting in September 2025, school report cards will be launched, offering parents detailed evaluations of school performance and enhancing the efficacy of inspections in promoting advancements, the announcement stated.

The decision comes after consultations with educational stakeholders and relatives of headteacher Ruth Perry. Ms. Perry tragically ended her life following an Ofsted evaluation that lowered her Caversham Primary School in Reading from "outstanding" to "inadequate" due to issues regarding safeguarding.

In 2022, an inquiry by the coroner determined that shortcomings in the inspection procedure played a role in her demise.

The Department for Education stated that simplistic single-word ratings do not offer a just and precise evaluation of a school's overall performance. They noted that altering this would aid in dismantling obstacles to opportunity.

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On Sky News' Breakfast with Kay Burley show, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson stated, "We are implementing this revision today as I think it's crucial for parents to have better insight into the activities within our schools, and the current system is simply ineffective.

"The risks are too significant, and it lacks a clear emphasis on improving our educational standards. This is crucial as I wish for every child to receive an excellent education and a strong foundation for their future."

The new Labour administration has made reform a key objective, committing to enhance public education quality and to increase financing by imposing a tax on private school tuition fees.

In today's announcement, the government revealed its strategy to focus on enhancing programs at schools deemed underperforming, shifting away from previous methods that centered on altering their administration.

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

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In situations where schools are deemed severely deficient, meriting an inadequate rating, the government will maintain its involvement.

According to the Department for Education, this might involve issuing an academy order that compels maintained schools to convert into academies, potentially leading to a change in management under certain circumstances.

Earlier, Ms. Phillipson stated, "It is abundantly apparent that we need to reform Ofsted to ensure continually high and improving standards for every child in every school."

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"Eliminating headline grades marks a significant transformation and a pivotal moment for students, families, and educators."

She noted that simple headline grades provide "minimal information for parents and carry significant consequences for schools."

"Parents need a more comprehensive and transparent understanding of school performance, and our report cards aim to deliver just that."

"This administration is committed to enhancing inspection processes to be more effective and more open, aiming to boost school performance. We pledged to bring about reform, and we are now fulfilling that promise."

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Changes 'might be more extensive'

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

The elimination of individual headline ratings will be implemented in public schools scheduled for evaluation this academic year, and it is anticipated that private schools and colleges will adopt this change subsequently.

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Teaching unions have expressed their support for the plans, having advocated for changes for some time.

Paul Whiteman, the chief official of the National Association of Headteachers, stated, "We have consistently emphasized that oversimplified single-word evaluations are detrimental, 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 taken a commendable step but emphasized that there are more comprehensive measures that could be adopted beyond merely promoting the idea that becoming an academy is the sole path to enhancing our schools.

"While today's declarations represent a significant move towards improvement, without comprehensive and fundamental changes to correct the underlying issues of the flawed accountability framework, educators and school administrators will persist in operating within an imperfect system," he stated.

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