Ofsted's single-word judgement was 'reductive', says former lead inspector for Essex and London
The government scrapped Ofsted 'high-stakes' judgements on Monday (September 2)
Last updated 3rd Sep 2024
A former Ofsted inspector in Essex has applauded the government's decision to scrap Ofsted single word judgements, after calling the high-stakes judgements, 'reductive'.
Schools in England will no longer receive Ofsted single headline grades, also known as single word judgements, with immediate effect.
The four headline ratings currently awarded by the inspections watchdog in England – outstanding, good, requires improvement and inadequate – will go as part of radical changes by the government announced on Monday.
Replacement Report Cards will come into force in September 2025 and be graded on 4 factors: quality of education, behaviour, personal development and leadership.
According to the government's 'Education Hub',
"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."
John Cook was Ofsted's lead inspector for primary schools:
"This is a very welcome change. To come away from the high-stakes, reductive nature of a one-word statement about a school is totally and utterly necessary. And totally and utterly necessary in the context of what happened to Ruth Perry."
The decision follows campaigns by the family of 53-year-old headteacher Ruth Perry, who took her own life in January 2023.
Perry, who was the headteacher of Caversham primary in Reading, killed herself 54 days after Ofsted inspectors told her they planned to downgrade the school from the highest ranging, outstanding, to the lowest, inadequate.
The coroner ruled her suicide was contributed to by an Ofsted inspection, after an inquest heard testimony from colleagues and medical professionals about the mental distress she suffered during and after the inspection.
Perry’s sister, Julia Walters, welcomed the reforms, which were rejected in April by the last Conservative government.
In a statement on behalf of the family, she said: “We are delighted and relieved that the government has decided to take this important and long overdue step."
However, Mr Cook is concerned about the interim period now before report cards come into action next September:
"I think it would be helpful to know exactly how inspector grades will be going in the interim time. It seems a bit of a grey-ish area to me."
"Are we still going to go round making those judgements and perhaps incurring another situation such as Ruth Perry's?"
"I'll be intrigued to see what an inspections look like for the next year."
The Tories have criticised the changes:
"While we do believe the system could be further improved, scrapping the headline inspection outcome is not in the best interest of pupils or parents.”
"Ofsted already inspects the quality of schools against four key areas and gives an accompanying narrative, but the headline inspection outcome is a vital indicator for parents."
Essex County Council have responded for comment,
"“We know from some headteachers in Essex that the new arrangements are something they have been asking for. Ensuring there is a commitment to quality education remains paramount for them.
“We continue to support all schools across Essex in line with our ambitions for first-class education. This means working closely with the Department for Education’s new Regional Improvement Teams, expected in early 2025, to ensure underperforming schools have robust improvement plans in place.