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State schools in England will stop receiving single-headline judgments on their performance from the education regulator “with immediate effect” as the Labour government moves towards a new system of report cards.
The Department for Education on Monday said it was axing Ofsted’s existing regime, which rates schools as “outstanding”, “good”, “requires improvement” or “inadequate”, to “increase transparency”.
Long-standing concerns among teachers that the regime piled unmanageable pressure on school staff came to a head in January last year after the suicide of headteacher Ruth Perry, following a critical report by the watchdog.
Teachers and teaching unions have long complained that the system of headline grades was subjective, unrepresentative and difficult to appeal.
Although the existing system gives schools a more detailed multi-page assessment, many parents only notice the more simplistic definitions.
In April, the previous Conservative government said it was sticking with the system on the basis that there were “significant benefits” to retaining the overall effectiveness grade.
But the Labour government, which promised to axe single headline grades in its general election manifesto, on Monday said they were “reductive”, failed to provide a fair assessment of overall school performance across a range of areas and were supported by a minority of parents and teachers.
Ministers said report cards, to be introduced from September next year, would “drive high and rising standards” across all schools.
The new system — whose design and content will be developed through extensive consultation with parents and schools — would give a “full and comprehensive assessment” of schools’ performance, the government said.
Meanwhile, Ofsted inspections of state schools this year will return grades across four existing subcategories; quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development and leadership and management.
The government said that while single headline grades would only be scrapped “with immediate effect” for state schools, they would end for other Ofsted visits — such as inspections of independent schools, colleges and social care providers — at an unspecified future date.
“The removal of headline grades is a generational reform and a landmark moment for children, parents, and teachers,” said education secretary Bridget Phillipson.
“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,” she added.
Ministers said the government would continue to intervene in poorly performing schools to ensure high standards for children, with “regional improvement teams” working with struggling schools from next year.
The DfE will also retain the right to impose an “academy order”, which could see a school transfer to new management in the most serious cases
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers union, said teachers would welcome the end of single-headline grades.
“We have been clear that simplistic one-word judgments are harmful, and we are pleased the government has taken swift action to remove them,” he said. “School leaders recognise the need for accountability but it must be proportionate and fair.”
Julia Waters, sister of Ruth Perry, said: “We are delighted and relieved that the government has decided to take this important and long-overdue step.
“Single-word headline judgments are dangerous and reductive. They are unpopular with parents and teachers, and their simplistic impact has made the daily job of improving school standards harder.”