Revolutionizing School Evaluations: UK Scraps One-Word Ofsted Ratings in Landmark Education Reform

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

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:

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

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

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

Beginning in September 2025, schools will start issuing report cards that offer parents a detailed evaluation of school performance and aim to enhance the impact of inspections on promoting progress, according to the announcement.

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

In a finding from the previous year, a coroner determined that the inspection procedures played a role in her passing.

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 noted that this modification will assist in eliminating obstacles to opportunities.

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Speaking on Sky News' "Breakfast with Kay Burley," Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson stated, "We are implementing this modification today 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 significant, and it lacks a clear emphasis on improving standards in our educational institutions. This is crucial because I want every child to receive an excellent education and a strong foundation for their future."

The new Labour administration has made reform a key priority, pledging to improve public education and increase funding by taxing tuition fees at private schools.

In today's announcement, the government declared its focus on enhancing programs for schools that are underperforming, moving away from strategies that involve changing leadership.

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

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In situations where schools would have received an inadequate rating, indicating severe issues, the government will maintain its involvement.

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

Ms. Phillipson previously 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 headline grades represents a significant change and a pivotal moment for students, parents, and educators."

She further explained that single 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 are designed to offer just that.

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

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

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Teaching unions have expressed support for 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, general secretary of NASUWT, welcomed the new government's decision but suggested that further steps could be taken to dispel the myth that turning schools into academies is the sole method for achieving the necessary enhancements in education.

"While today's declarations mark a significant move towards improvement, without comprehensive and fundamental reforms to repair the underlying issues of the dysfunctional accountability system, educators and school administrators will still be operating within an inherently flawed framework," he stated.

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