What Ofsted's new school report system means for parents
Ofsted is trialling a new colour-coded inspection model for schools in England. Previously, schools were awarded one of four single-phrase inspection judgments for overall effectiveness: outstanding, good, requires improvement and inadequate.
But, Ofsted is now proposing that schools, early years providers, and further education and skills providers in England will be graded across a variety of different areas.
What is the new Ofsted inspection system?
The new inspections are being designed to provide a clearer breakdown of each institution's strengths and weaknesses, highlighted on a report card of sorts.
Currently, the new system is in its proposal stage and, next, will enter a three-month consultation period. A report on the outcome of the consultation will be published in the summer, with the final agreed reforms to be piloted again, before being formally implemented from autumn 2025.
Sir Martyn Oliver, chief inspector of Ofsted, says the report card would give parents a "far better balanced, more realistic and a fairer picture of all of a school’s strengths and areas for improvement".
In a consultation document, Ofsted said the proposals will allow inspectors to "highlight poor practice with more precision – pointing laser-like to specific issues, not shining a floodlight on the whole provider".
Why has Ofsted decided to change the current system?
There has been an ongoing debate about whether one overall grade can sum up the complexity of how well a school is performing.
But the debate intensified after an inquest in 2023 found an inspection contributed to the death of head teacher Ruth Perry, who took her own life after learning her school was set to be deemed Inadequate.
In her verdict Coroner Heidi Connor said the "transparency and ease" of the overall grading system was not weighed against teacher welfare.
What will the report card look like and what is the colour-coded scale?
Schools will receive ratings ranging from the red coloured "causing concern" to orange coloured "attention needed", through the green shades of "secure", "strong" and "exemplary" – for each area of practice.
Areas rated will include leadership and governance, curriculum, developing teaching, achievement, behaviour and attitudes, attendance, personal development and well-being, and inclusion.
Safeguarding will not be graded with the five-point scale and instead it would be assessed as either met or not met.
Evaluation areas for early years providers would include aspects such as behaviour, attitudes and establishing routine.
The grade will be accompanied by short summaries of inspectors’ findings in more detail. An overall effectiveness grade will not be awarded.
What do the experts say?
Sir Oliver said the proposals were designed to "raise standards and improve the lives of children, particularly the most disadvantaged".
He said the "suite of grades" would give parents "much more detail" and help identify a school's strengths and areas for improvement.
But some head teachers and senior education figures have criticised the changes as being confusing for parents and worse than the single-word judgments they replace.
Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said the plans would be "bewildering for teachers and leaders, never mind the parents whose choices these reports are supposedly intended to guide".
Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza said she welcomes the proposals to move towards a "more detailed and nuanced approach" to school inspections.
"Replacing single-word judgments with broader evaluations of strengths and areas of improvement will give parents clear information about the quality of their child’s school," she said.
"I am encouraged to see a stronger focus on inclusion and support for children with additional needs. I also welcome the decision to return to schools with identified weaknesses – it is essential that we improve standards in failing schools and give all children access to a high-quality education.
"I want to ensure children feel empowered by the new inspection system and I will make sure that their voices help shape the new report card."
When the new proposals were initially discussed in September last year Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, rejected the accusation the new system lacks the simplicity of the old one, and said it would provide parents with a "richer picture" of what a school does well, and where it requires improvement.
He added that the move would strengthen accountability in schools, adding: "We'll absolutely be pressing schools on standards and I don't accept that parents will be confused."
How might the new system impact parents?
Ryan Lockett, teacher and director of studies at TLC LIVE told Yahoo UK the new Ofsted colour coding system is designed to make school performance ratings clearer and more accessible for parents.
"By presenting information in a simple, visual format, it allows families to understand how a school is performing at a glance," he explains. "This kind of transparency makes it easier for parents to engage with their child’s education and participate in important conversations about school standards and achievements."
However, he points out that there are concerns about the potential impact on schools that receive lower ratings. "A poor ranking could lead to declining enrolment, reducing critical resources that schools need to improve," he explains. "This might push parents to move their children to higher-rated schools, which could disrupt local school communities and create unintended instability for families and students alike."
On the positive side, Lockett says the breakdown of ratings into different areas- like behaviour, inclusion, or extracurricular activities - means parents can focus on what matters most to them and their children.
"While the system could encourage struggling schools to improve, it’s vital that it recognises the broader contributions schools make, such as pastoral care and support for special educational needs, which are just as important as academic results for many families," he adds.
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