Revolution in School Assessments: UK Abolishes One-Word Ofsted Ratings in Landmark Education Reform

Immediate removal of single-word Ofsted evaluations for schools

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

Political correspondent @fayebrownSky

Monday, September 2, 2024, 08:

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

Before, the educational oversight body assigned one of four ratings to the schools it evaluated: excellent, satisfactory, needs improvement, or unsatisfactory.

Starting this academic year, the Department for Education (DfE) has announced that four new grades will be assigned within the current sub-categories: quality of education, behavior 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 effectiveness of inspections in fostering improvements, the statement explained.

The adjustment comes after discussions 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 related to safeguarding.

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

The Department for Education stated that simplistic, single phrase ratings do not offer a just and precise evaluation of a school's overall performance. They added that this modification will assist in removing obstacles to opportunities.

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Speaking on Sky News' Breakfast with Kay Burley show, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson stated, "Today, we are implementing this reform because I think it's essential for parents to have better insight into the activities within our schools, as the current system is failing."

"The risks are too significant, and it lacks a precise emphasis on improving our educational standards. This is crucial as 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 priority, committing to enhance public education quality and increase funding by imposing a tax on private school tuition fees.

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

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

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In instances where schools are deemed to be performing poorly enough to receive an inadequate rating, the government will maintain its policy of intervention.

The Department for Education (DfE) mentioned that this might involve implementing an academy order, compelling maintained schools to convert into academies, potentially resulting in a change of management in certain cases.

Ms. Phillipson previously stated, "It is abundantly clear that we need to reform Ofsted to ensure continuously high and improving standards for all our children in every school."

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"Eliminating headline grades represents a significant overhaul and a pivotal event for students, parents, and educators alike."

She mentioned that simplified grade summaries provide minimal information to parents while having 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 current administration is committed to enhancing the effectiveness and transparency of inspections to foster advancements in schools. We pledged to bring about reform, and we are now fulfilling that commitment."

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"Changes 'might extend deeper'"

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

The elimination of standalone headline grades will affect state schools scheduled for inspection this academic year, with plans for similar measures to be implemented in other institutions such as independent schools and colleges in the future.

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

Paul Whiteman, the general secretary of the National Association of Headteachers, stated, "We have consistently expressed that simple one-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, commended the new government for making a positive choice but suggested they could do even more by discarding the misconception that turning schools into academies is the sole way to enhance them.

"Although the recent declarations mark a significant move forward, without comprehensive and fundamental changes to overhaul the deeply flawed accountability system, educators and school administrators will still be operating within a defective framework," he stated.

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