What is Ofsted and and how will the new school ratings work?
- Published
Ofsted has provided a first look at what its new school report cards will look like after scrapping its old one or two-word judgements.
They are due to be introduced in the 2025 autumn term, with Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson saying they will provide "rich, granular insight" to help deliver "tailored" support for struggling schools.
But they have drawn strong criticism from school leaders, who said the proposals risked "replicating the worst aspects of the current system".
Prof Julia Waters, whose sister Ruth Perry killed herself after an Ofsted inspection at her school, similarly said the plans appeared to be "a rehash of the discredited and dangerous system it is meant to replace".
What does Ofsted mean and what are the ratings?
Ofsted - the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills, external - inspects and reports on anywhere that provides education for young people in England, including schools, colleges, nurseries and childminders.
Many parents and carers rely on Ofsted ratings to help them choose a school or nursery for their child.
Previously, schools or organisations were inspected every four years - or within 30 months, depending on their status - and were given one of the following four overall grades:
1 - outstanding
2 - good
3 - requires improvement
4 - inadequate
Ofsted also inspects some independent schools in England, while others are assessed by the Independent Schools Inspectorate., external
Inspections in Wales are carried out by Estyn,, external in Scotland by Education Scotland,, external and in Northern Ireland by the Education and Training Inspectorate., external
How and why are the ratings changing?
Ofsted inspections will no longer give a single overall grade to an institution.
For the 2024-2025 academic year, inspectors will still apply one of the existing four grades to the individual sub-categories they assess:
a school's overall performance
the quality of education provided
pupil behaviour and attitudes
staff personal development and the calibre of leadership and management
the effectiveness of safeguarding policies
Estyn in Wales and the body which inspects Church of England schools and academies, external have both already moved away from a single grade approach.
In England, from autumn 2025 and after a consultation, a new report card will come into effect, describing what inspectors have found on key aspects of each school, including:
quality of education
behaviour and attendance
personal development
leadership and management
There will be five possible grades for each area:
causing concern
attention needed
secure
strong
exemplary
A separate part of the report card will say whether the school's duties around safeguarding have been met.
Parents will be able to click the drop-down arrows and read more about the school's performance in each area
The frequency of future inspections will also be determined by the consultation, which is live until 22 April.
The changes are partly in response to the wave of criticism that the old rating system received after Ruth Perry's death in January 2023.
The coroner who investigated her death highlighted concerns that one-word judgements meant the same grading of "inadequate" could be given to a school which "is dreadful in all respects", and to another which is good but with issues which could have been remedied by the time the Ofsted report was published.
Ofsted boss Sir Martyn Oliver said the new report cards' "suite of grades" would give parents "much more detail" and help identify a school's strengths and areas for improvement.
But Association of School and College Leaders general secretary Pepe Di'Iasio said it would be "bewildering for teachers and leaders, never mind the parents whose choices these reports are supposedly intended to guide".
Phillipson has pushed back against the criticism though, saying parents want more information about schools.
What happens during an Ofsted inspection?
During an Ofsted visit - which can last up to two days - inspectors observe lessons and talk to staff and pupils. Parents are also invited to comment.
The school is normally notified the day before.
Schools can request to defer or cancel a visit, but only in exceptional circumstances.
Ofsted has piloted an idea to improve consistency by doing all inspections on a Tuesday and Wednesday, giving notice for them on a Monday.
Inspectors judge schools according to Ofsted's education inspection framework., external
What happens after an Ofsted inspection?
Up until now, schools that are rated inadequate have become sponsored academies,, external and are supported by another outstanding school or charity to improve.
The new report cards will result in the government intervening more quickly to help struggling schools, Phillipson has said.
New regional teams, with a budget of up to £100,000 per school, will help turn around "stuck" schools that have received back-to-back negative judgements from Ofsted.
But those that fail to improve will be transferred to a successful academy trust, even if they are already run by a different academy or a council.
Under a pilot from September 2024, if inspectors have concerns about the safety of children in a school that is performing well in all other respects, they will withhold their judgement for three months to allow time for improvements to be made.
Can schools complain about their Ofsted rating?
Head teachers can challenge the rating their school is given.
Complaints are dealt with by a senior inspector who was not involved in the original assessment., external
The way Ofsted handles the post-inspection period changed in April 2024, with the aim of resolving complaints more quickly, and increasing transparency around decision-making.