Revolution in School Ratings: One-Word Ofsted Grades to Be Eliminated Following Tragic Catalyst and Sector Dialogue

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

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

Politics correspondent @fayebrownSky

Monday, September 2, 2024, 8:

The practice of assigning single-word Ofsted ratings to public schools has been immediately discontinued, a change celebrated as a significant milestone for students.

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

Starting this academic year, the Department for Education (DfE) has announced that four new grades will be implemented, covering the specific areas of quality of education, behavior and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management.

Starting in September 2025, school report cards will be implemented to give parents a detailed evaluation of school performance and to enhance the impact of inspections in promoting improvements, according to the announcement.

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, a coroner 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, and that this reform will assist in eliminating obstacles to opportunity.

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On Sky News' "Breakfast with Kay Burley," Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson announced, "Today we are implementing this reform because I think it's essential for parents to have better insights into what is happening in our schools, as the current system is failing."

"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 priority, committing to enhance public education quality and to increase funds by imposing a tax on private school tuition fees.

In today's announcement, the government declared its intention to focus on enhancement strategies for schools that are underperforming, instead of resorting to alterations in leadership.

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

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In situations where schools are deemed insufficient and receive the lowest ratings, the government will maintain its policy of intervention.

The Department for Education (DfE) stated that this might involve implementing an academy order, compelling state schools to transition into academies, potentially under new leadership in certain cases.

Ms. Phillipson previously stated, "It is abundantly clear 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 transformation and a pivotal event for students, families, and educators."

She also mentioned that singular headline grades offer "minimal information for parents and significant consequences for schools".

"Parents should have access to a more comprehensive and transparent overview of school performance – this is what our report cards aim to offer."

"This administration is committed to transforming inspections into a more effective and transparent mechanism for advancing school enhancement. We pledged reform, and we are now fulfilling that commitment."

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Changes 'might extend beyond current scope'

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

The elimination of individual headline grades will be implemented in state schools scheduled for inspection this academic year, and it is anticipated that independent 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 general secretary of the National Association of Headteachers, expressed approval, stating, "We've consistently argued that reductive single-word assessments are damaging, and we're gratified that the government has quickly intervened to eliminate them."

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Dr. Patrick Roach, General Secretary of NASUWT, acknowledged that the new administration has taken a positive step, but he emphasized that more could be done to dispel the myth that becoming an academy is the sole pathway to enhancing our educational institutions.

"Although the recent announcements mark a positive move, without comprehensive reform to overhaul the fundamentally flawed accountability system, teachers and school leaders will still be operating within an imperfect framework," he stated.

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