Revamping School Assessments: UK Scraps One-Word Ofsted Ratings Following Tragic Catalyst

Immediate elimination of single-word Ofsted evaluations for schools

This adjustment 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 evaluations for public schools have been immediately discontinued, a decision celebrated as a "significant milestone for children."

Before, the educational oversight body rated schools with one of four grades during evaluations: outstanding, good, requires improvement, or inadequate.

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

Starting in September 2025, schools will begin issuing report cards that offer parents a detailed evaluation of school performance and aim to enhance the impact of inspections on fostering improvements, the statement explained.

The adjustment comes after consultations with educational stakeholders and relatives of headteacher Ruth Perry, who died by suicide following an Ofsted evaluation that demoted her Caversham Primary School in Reading from "outstanding" to "inadequate" due to issues with safeguarding.

In 2022, a judicial inquiry determined that the examination procedures played a role in her demise.

The Department for Education stated that simplistic, one-word ratings do not offer a just and precise evaluation of a school's overall performance. The alteration aims to dismantle obstacles that hinder opportunities.

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On the Subject:

Speaking on Sky News' "Breakfast with Kay Burley," Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson announced, "Today we are implementing this modification as I am convinced that parents require additional insights into the activities within our schools, and the current system is simply ineffective.

"The risks are too great, and it lacks a clear emphasis on improving our educational 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 made reform a key agenda, committing to enhance the quality of public education and to create extra revenue by imposing a tax on fees for private schools.

In today’s briefing, the government declared its focus on enhancing programs for schools that are underperforming, shifting away from previous strategies that involved altering leadership.

Starting in early 2025, regional enhancement groups will be established to assist struggling schools in improving their areas of deficiency.

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In situations where schools would have received the lowest possible rating, indicating severe issues, the government will maintain its policy of intervention.

The Department for Education (DfE) mentioned that this process might involve giving out an academy order, compelling maintained schools to transition into academies, which could also entail a shift to new management in certain cases.

Earlier, Ms. Phillipson stated, "It is abundantly evident that reforming Ofsted is essential to promote consistently high and improving standards for every child in every school."

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"Eliminating top-level grades represents a significant change and a pivotal event for students, families, and educators."

She also mentioned that single headline grades provide "minimal information for parents and carry significant consequences for schools."

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

"The administration is committed to transforming inspection into a stronger, clearer mechanism to foster enhancements in schools. We pledged reform, and we are now fulfilling that commitment."

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Changes 'might be more extensive'

The statement was made as students head back to school this week.

The elimination of individual overall ratings will be implemented in public schools undergoing inspections 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 an extended period.

Paul Whiteman, the general secretary of the National Association of Headteachers, expressed satisfaction with the government's prompt decision to eliminate simplistic single-word assessments, stating, "We have consistently emphasized that these simplistic judgments are detrimental."

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Dr. Patrick Roach, the general secretary of NASUWT, acknowledged that the new administration made a prudent choice but suggested that they could do more to debunk the myth that turning schools into academies is the sole path to enhancing our educational institutions.

"Although today's declarations mark significant progress, without comprehensive reform to overhaul the underlying issues of the defective accountability system, educators and school administrators will still operate within an inherently flawed framework," he stated.

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