Schools in England will no longer receive Ofsted single headline
grades, also known as single word judgements, from today.
This is the first step towards delivering a better accountability
system which will see School Report Cards
introduced from September 2025, which will provide parents
with a complete picture of how schools are performing.
We explain more below, including on how parents can compare
schools in the meantime.
Why are we removing single headline grades?
We know that one word judgements aren't working for parents or
schools.
Ofsted research found fewer than four in 10 parents, and only 29%
of teachers, support one-word judgements.
We want parents to have access to a much more complete picture of
how schools are performing, well beyond a single word.
We also want higher standards in schools, and report cards are an
important step towards achieving that because they will hold
schools to account across a broader range of measures.
That's why we are removing single headline grades with immediate
effect for all state schools moving forward.
How will parents know which schools are performing
well?
Schools that have an existing grade will keep it until their next
inspection.
Schools that are then inspected this year will receive a rating
in the four existing subcategories: quality of education,
behaviour and attitudes, personal development and leadership
& management.
Ofsted inspection reports already contain these subcategories, so
parents will be able to compare schools by looking at how they
perform in each of these areas.
What happens if your child's school currently has an
‘inadequate' or ‘requires improvement' judgement'?
We will continue to intervene in poorly performing schools to
ensure high school standards for children.
Schools that are classed as 'inadequate' will remain subject to
structural change to their leadership and management.
For schools that 'require improvement', we are changing and
improving how we intervene and we will be introducing new
regional improvement teams to offer targeted support, addressing
the areas where schools need to improve.
In some of these schools there may be plans to change the
leadership and management of the school by converting it to an
academy or transferring to a different academy trust.
Our previous policy was that if a school had two ‘requires
improvement' judgements we may change the management.
If plans to do this were due to happen this term, they will go
ahead, but in the future for schools in this category, we think
it's better and less disruptive to offer support to improve from
another high performing school to drive improvement.
What will School Report Cards look like?
Report cards will provide parents with a more complete picture of
how schools are performing. The content of the report cards will
be developed over the coming months.
We will work with Ofsted, parents and the education sector
to ensure the new report card is as clear and transparent as
possible.
Are single headline grades being removed for early years
and colleges too?
Early years provision in state schools and academies for children aged
2 and above, and Maintained Nursery Schools, will be included in
the removal of headline grades for schools.
All other Early Years settings will continue to receive headline
grades.
We are committed to removing headline grades for other settings
inspected by Ofsted, including independent schools, early years
settings, colleges, children's social care providers, and initial
teacher training.
We will be working hard over the next year with students,
families and educators across these areas to ensure alternative
reporting arrangements provide a clear picture of how education
providers are performing.
We're working closely with Ofsted and the sector to make sure it
happens smoothly.
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