Single word Ofsted grades SCRAPPED with immediate effect after suicide of headteacher Ruth Perry
SINGLE word school Ofsted grades are being scrapped with immediate effect, the Education Secretary has announced.
Bridget Phillipson is replacing the judgments with “report cards”.
The aim is to give parents a more rounded view following pressure from unions to change the system after the suicide of headteacher Ruth Perry.
Her school had been downgraded by the watchdog from “outstanding” to “inadequate”.
The Department for Education says 77 per cent of parents support binning one-word ratings.
Ms Phillipson said: “The removal of headline grades is a generational reform and a landmark moment for children, parents and teachers.
“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.”
The report card system will launch in September 2025 and be developed over the next year.
In the interim, there will be grades in four different categories. Until now, Ofsted awarded one of four from outstanding, good, requires improvement and inadequate.
The previous Tory Government had resisted calls to scrap one-word assessments.
The National Association of Headteachers is “pleased the Government has taken swift action”.
But it could spark criticism that ministers are scrapping easy indicators of performance.
You're Not Alone
EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide
It doesn’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.
And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.
Yet it’s rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.
That is why The Sun launched the You’re Not Alone campaign.
The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives.
Let’s all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… You’re Not Alone.
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:
- CALM, www.thecalmzone.net, 0800 585 858
- Heads Together,www.headstogether.org.uk
- HUMEN www.wearehumen.org
- Mind, www.mind.org.uk, 0300 123 3393
- Papyrus, www.papyrus-uk.org, 0800 068 41 41
- Samaritans,www.samaritans.org, 116 123