Teachers are expressing strong disapproval of a new grading system likened to a “Nando’s style” approach for schools, set to be implemented by Ofsted in November. The National Education Union (NEU) and NAHT, representing headteachers, have criticized the new inspection system as “insulting” and posing a direct risk to school leaders’ health and wellbeing.
Under the newly unveiled plans, Ofsted is set to provide parents with more detailed information about their children’s education through updated report cards starting in November. In a significant revamp of the school inspection process, schools in England will be assessed across various areas such as attendance, behavior, and inclusion, using a color-coded five-point scale with grades ranging from ‘urgent improvement’ to ‘exceptional’.
Each inspection will also prioritize evaluating provisions for disadvantaged children, those with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND), and those in social care, with a specific focus on inclusion. Meanwhile, the Department for Education is expanding its team of school improvement experts, known as RISE teams, to support 377 more schools and nearly 100,000 additional children starting this term.
The decision to eliminate one-word judgments for overall school performance was made in response to a tragic incident involving headteacher Ruth Perry, who took her own life following a negative Ofsted report that downgraded her school. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson is facing calls to postpone the implementation of the new system due to concerns that it fails to address fundamental issues with Ofsted’s inspections.
Despite Ofsted’s assertion that nearly 70% of parents prefer the new report cards, unions have criticized the study, involving only 1,090 parents, as “small-scale.” Daniel Kebede, NEU’s general secretary, voiced opposition to the grading scale, emphasizing its negative impact on children, parents, and school personnel, highlighting the continued pressure, competition, and labeling associated with the system.
Various education leaders, including Pepe Di’Iasio and Paul Whiteman, have expressed grave concerns about the new inspection approach, warning of potential harm to the welfare of school leaders and teachers. His Majesty’s Chief Inspector Sir Martyn Oliver defended the new report cards as a tool to help parents better understand the strengths and areas for improvement in their children’s learning environments.
