No more one word OFSTED gradings

The one word judgement in Ruth Perry's case was 'inadequate' from 'outstanding' and was based on gaps in the school's safeguarding records, only one aspect of a school's performance.
Presumably the Report cards will contain more information in an accessiblr form rather than reading a jargon-filled dossier.

accessible

Praise be: maybe we could see a return to supporting schools and the staff and pupils where it is needed.
This might help: a damning word does not.

Chocolatelovinggran

Praise be: maybe we could see a return to supporting schools and the staff and pupils where it is needed.
This might help: a damning word does not.

Agreed. Its very easy to find out on the Ofsted website which will presumably change to include more in depth reports.

As far as I can see the key areas for inspection; quality of education (standards), behaviour, personal development and leadership haven't changed very much. The headline one (or two) word judgements of outstanding, good, requires improvement and inadequate will go. The reports online have always included the more detailed judgements in the key areas, but you have to click down a level.

Good! I’ve seen first hand the damage that some of these “judgements” can do and the state some teaching staff and heads can get into when no notice inspections are foisted on them.

When DD moved she kept the eldest at a school, that was now about half an hour away on foot, because it was good school and he was happy and settled. The younger GS went into reception at a small infant/junior school that was about one minute's walk away. It soon became apparent that the small school had an ineffectual head teacher with the result that there were curriculum and safeguarding issues.

That year both schools were inspected by Ofsted and both were rated Good. The reports for both were similar and showed very little insight.

DD and a significant number of other very local parents, became so disgusted with the small school that they moved their children away despite having to make a longer daily journey.

I only hope that the new style reports are based on proper observation and intelligent analysis.

Love the way you dismiss OFSTED reports as not showing intelligent analysis and not requiring proper observation.
Having experienced several I’m happy for those words of support, even though ours have all been successful.

Having only read two reports, probably written by the same team, perhaps I was over generalising.

Mamie. 👏👏

Listening to the news, tonight, I heard parents saying they want more information.

Perhaps removing the banner headline will mean they actually bother to read the information that’s been there in the report for them to read already. Or then again, maybe it won’t.

Mollygo

Mamie. 👏👏

Listening to the news, tonight, I heard parents saying they want more information.

Perhaps removing the banner headline will mean they actually bother to read the information that’s been there in the report for them to read already. Or then again, maybe it won’t.

Indeed. The information is there and usually pretty clear I would say.
I had a bit of a wry smile at the report that there would be teams of regional advisers to provide support to schools. Like the ones there used to be before their budgets were slashed?

Schools have advisers even now, so I’m not sure what’s going to be new, but they’re unlikely to get back to the support given by HMI.
At my first OFSTED, when teachers were observed teaching a range of subjects, and got individual gradings, I got a good grade, but was told I needed to include even more activities. When I asked what she meant I was told that it wasn’t her job to explain that. 🤣🤣🤣

Mollygo

Mamie. 👏👏

Listening to the news, tonight, I heard parents saying they want more information.

Perhaps removing the banner headline will mean they actually bother to read the information that’s been there in the report for them to read already. Or then again, maybe it won’t.

I can't speak for anyone else but DD read through everything she could access about both the schools he sons attended very carefully and so did I.

OFSTED inspections are rather like the modern driving test, with ‘majors’ and ‘minors’. Fail in one of the ‘Major’ areas and you become Needing Improvement or Inadequate. In the past schools with some of the best exam results have found themselves in these categories.
It pays to read OFSTED reports very carefully.

J52 - that's like saying read manifestos very carefully.Many people don't.Otherwise you wouldn't need a one word summary anyway. Ruth Perry's case was tragic & I think if I'd been in her shoes I could've done the same. Thing is, safeguarding is important but in that case, it was also, once highlighted, just some basic admin adjustments to sort the problem & bring it back to outstanding again. By the time the next quota of children were in, that's what they would get. So why damn the school & it's Head?

Valdavi I agree that the one word judgements were damming and Ruth Perry’s case was tragic.
I was hoping to point out that one judgement in one area of a schools performance could condemn the whole school despite other areas being excellent.
I do hope that parents do read the OFSTED reports carefully before making their judgements.

Mollygo

Schools have advisers even now, so I’m not sure what’s going to be new, but they’re unlikely to get back to the support given by HMI.
At my first OFSTED, when teachers were observed teaching a range of subjects, and got individual gradings, I got a good grade, but was told I needed to include even more activities. When I asked what she meant I was told that it wasn’t her job to explain that. 🤣🤣🤣

The quality of advisers in Multi Academy Trusts is in my limited experience nowhere near as good as County Advisers. Maybe Regional Advisers will be a euphemism for County Advisers?

Chardy I accept your knowledge of advisers in multi academy trusts. So far my school and most the other local primaries have managed to resist being academised.

There was certainly more than one word when my boy's school had an Ofsted report.
There were lots of words; none of them good.

I’ve just finished my last ofsted and thoroughly glad I’m not doing anymore.( retiring before the next due) I’m only a mere nursery practitioner but having gone through a few I would agree some of the above comments. It’s like waiting for to be hung! The pressure is enormous and the atmosphere leading up is intense. Yes we are all accountable but seeing the bigger picture and having that documented not just one word testaments I’d give it the heads up!

MissAdventure

There was certainly more than one word when my boy's school had an Ofsted report.
There were lots of words; none of them good.

Great that you read the words, though obviously not great that the report was not good.
What struck me on the news tonight was that people were saying they needed more information, as if they simply accepted the one word headline.

Ofsted inspections so stressful and school preparations are endless. Glad the dreadful one word assessments are going. More support not judgement should be offered to schools who are not performing in certain areas.

Ofsted produce an in depth report, that you can access online, surely?
It must be across the board, or how else would people know that a school is good, bad, or anything in between.

If you really want to choose the best school for your child you will read the full report - usually available on the school's website. I guess many parents don't research thoroughly so the one word evaluation gave them a quick judgement without having to apply too much effort. However very stressful for a head teacher facing a downgrade as you know most parents won't read the full report.
OFSTED inspections are stressful but I have memories of one at a school I used to work at where a couple of teachers were puzzled as to why all the other staff were running round like headless chickens the day before. They were totally calm, but as I said to them at the time "They could be calm because their lessons were always good." They didn't need to put on a show for the inspection. Sadly that isn't always the case for every teacher. I was a teaching assistant at the time, so I saw the varying quality of teachers all the time! We were an 'Outstanding' school but even in schools in special measures there may be outstandingly good teachers and 'Outstanding' schools can have weak teachers. Some departments are stronger than others and hopefully reading the full report will tell you what you really need to know.