Single-headline Ofsted grades for schools will be scrapped with immediate effect, the Government has announced this morning
Education Secretary said of the announcement that “Ofsted judgements have been high stakes for schools, low information for parents.”
The single word grades will be scrapped with immediate effect and a new scorecard approach to rating school performance will be introduced next year as part of “generational” reform.
Schools inspected from September will only receive the four grades across the existing sub-categories: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management.
Bridget Phillipson, Education Secretary, said:
The need for Ofsted reform to drive high and rising standards for all our children in every school is overwhelmingly clear. The removal of headline grades is a generational reform and a landmark moment for children, parents, and teachers.
Single headline grades are low information for parents and high stakes for schools. Parents deserve a much clearer, much broader picture of how schools are performing – that’s what our report cards will provide.
This government will make inspection a more powerful, more transparent tool for driving school improvement. We promised change, and now we are delivering.
