Ofsted inspectors have four choices when deciding their overall rating, ranging from very good to very bad, with the average ones sitting somewhere in the middle
Parents have been advised to pay close attention to a single, crucial word when selecting their child’s school.
This one word could either significantly boost or tarnish a school’s reputation. The grades given by Ofsted following inspections are what it all boils down to. After an inspector has visited and assessed all aspects of the school, taking numerous factors into account, the final judgement is encapsulated in that one word.
Inspectors have four options for their overall rating, ranging from very good to very bad, with average ones falling somewhere in between. The grades are outstanding, good, requires improvement and inadequate. Most schools receive a rating of either good or requires improvement. This is because the situation must be either exceptionally good or bad to warrant a rating of outstanding or inadequate.
Inspectors are undoubtedly conscious of the reputational damage an inadequate rating can inflict on a school. Parents always aspire to send their children to the best possible school, or at least a good one – not one that Ofsted has essentially labelled as bad where pupils aren’t thriving, reports Birmingham Live.
The Government has now decided these one-word judgements should stay. Concerns have previously been raised by headteachers and how an inspection which only provides a snapshot can leave them left with a rating for years. Parents often base their decisions on these ratings. They might listen to insights from those familiar with the school, but delving into a full Ofsted report and considering any extenuating circumstances is not common practice.
A Department for Education spokesperson said: “There are significant benefits from having an Ofsted overall effectiveness grade. In our view, the priority is to look for ways to improve the current system rather than developing an alternative to it.”
This statement comes in the wake of the tragic news that headteacher Ruth Perry took her life upon learning her school was to be marked as inadequate.
