The government has rejected calls to scrap Ofsted’s single-word judgments, arguing they have “significant benefits.”
The Department for Education (DfE) said an assessment system without overall effectiveness grades, such as “outstanding” or “inadequate,” would fail to provide adequate information for parents.
Ofsted’s school inspection system operates on a four-point scale and includes “outstanding,” “good,” “requires improvement,” and “inadequate” grades.
Inspectors make the judgments on the effectiveness of school leadership, quality of teaching, personal development, and outcomes for pupils.
Ofsted grading also allows the government and other stakeholders to track the progress of schools across the country and recognise the “hard work” of teachers, the DfE said.
The government response comes following an inquiry into Ofsted’s work with schools by the Education Select Committee. The cross-party group of MPs had urged the government to consider a different approach to school grading, including alternative systems adopted internationally.
In its response the government said it was “mindful” of the circumstances preceding the report and it had been “working closely” with Ms. Perry’s family and colleagues.
The DfE said it has doubled professional supervision and counselling for school leaders. However, it stressed that scrapping the current grading framework would prevent Ofsted from knowing which schools are in need of support or intervention.
Difficult Conversations
The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) has called the single-word grading system “inhumane” and “unreliable.”“If we have another tragedy, that would sit firmly on the shoulders of ministers who are failing to grapple with this problem right now. We have calls from members regularly on our helpline in crisis because of inspection,” said NAHT General Secretary Paul Whiteman in a statement.
Commenting on the issue earlier this month, Ms. Spielman said that Ofsted works like any other inspectorate, in that it protects the interests of the users. She warned that not being direct in addressing issues comes at the expense of those users, which, “in the case of Ofsted, that’s the children.”
The government also stressed that the current grading system is an important source for parents, where the information is laid out in a “succinct and accessible” way.
The DfE added that it always encourages parents to read inspection reports in detail, beyond the overall effectiveness judgment. Ministers will work with Ofsted to consider how findings and grades are presented “to highlight some of the detail sitting under the summary grade.”
The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) has called the government’s response “deeply disappointing.”
“Its solution is to ‘consider’ the presentation of Ofsted reports rather than the system itself. This is despite all the evidence that these single-phrase judgements are the source of sky-high stress and anxiety, damaging the wellbeing of leaders and teachers, sapping morale and causing many people to leave the profession,” said ASCL General Secretary Pepe Di’Iasio in a statement.
He argued that single-word judgments make it more difficult for schools to make improvements owing to stigma and do a disservice to children and parents.
“The problem is not presentational; it is that the system is fundamentally flawed and must change,” said Mr. Di’Iasio.
In response to other recommendations, the government rejected proposals to reduce the frequency of inspections. The DfE plans to have at least one inspection in all schools by the end of the summer term 2025.
