Labour is warned new Ofsted rating system for schools – devised after headteacher Ruth Perry took her own life – has been ‘rushed’ and will only ‘make matters worse’_Nhy
A new ratings system for schools has been ‘rushed and botched’ and will ‘make matters worse’, critics warned last night.
The redesigned blueprint, unveiled today, is aimed at making inspections by education watchdog Ofsted ‘fairer’ to teachers in the wake of the suicide of headteacher Ruth Perry.
It will be launched by Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, who is expected to insist that it ‘raises the bar on what we expect from schools’.
But last night it was lambasted from all directions – by internal whistle-blowers, three teaching unions, the Tories and even Mrs Perry’s own sister.
It comes after Keir Starmer was forced to defend dropping overall one-word judgements September, insisting it would not ‘confuse parents’.
The £6.2 million redesign has now gone further, doing away completely with the old ratings of ‘outstanding’, ‘good’, ‘requires improvement’ or ‘inadequate’ for individual categories.
Instead, there will be nine new assessment areas which will each be rated as ‘exemplary’, ‘strong’, ‘secure’, ‘attention needed’ or ‘causing concern’, with green and red colour-coding.
The new format is aimed at providing a more ‘nuanced’ picture for parents, following criticism the one-word judgement was too crude.
It will be launched by Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, who is expected to insist that it ‘raises the bar on what we expect from schools’
The redesigned blueprint, unveiled today, is aimed at making inspections by education watchdog Ofsted ‘fairer’ to teachers (stock image)
Keir Starmer was forced to defend dropping overall one-word judgements September, insisting it would not ‘confuse parents’
But six of Ofsted’s own staff members have now reportedly said the plans were ‘rushed and botched’, and ‘cobbled together at ridiculous speed’, having been drawn up since Labour’s election victory.
A letter to the unions from the employees was sent on condition of anonymity to Schools Week.
It said the consultation is a ‘sham’ as there will be no time to introduce a model that would differ from Ofsted’s proposal.
The letter described plans as a ‘chaotic mess’, ‘amateurish’ and ‘cobbled together at ridiculous speed with virtually no underpinning research’.
Following Mrs Perry’s death, an inquest found the Ofsted inspection ‘contributed’ to it, because she was so worried about being downgraded from ‘outstanding’ to ‘inadequate‘.
Her sister, Professor Julia Waters, has been campaigning for change at Ofsted but even she said yesterday it was ‘dangerous’ and introduced ‘new risks’.
She said: ‘I am worried that this proposal is a rehash of the discredited and dangerous system it is meant to replace.’
Meanwhile, teaching unions are also revolt, with Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union, saying: ‘The proposals will make matters worse, not better…
‘Ofsted’s plan does not address the mental health impact of the current ‘high stakes’ accountability systems on the profession.’
Six of Ofsted’s own staff members have now reportedly said the plans were ‘rushed and botched’, and ‘cobbled together at ridiculous speed’, having been drawn up since Labour’s election victory
There will be nine new assessment areas which will each be rated as ‘exemplary’, ‘strong’, ‘secure’, ‘attention needed’ or ‘causing concern’, with green and red colour-coding
Ofsted said the new report cards are aimed at taking a ‘fairer’ and ‘balanced’ approach to ‘reduce the pressure on professionals’
Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the ASCL union, said it will ‘subject a beleaguered profession to yet more misery’.
He added it was ‘even worse’ than the old system because of the large number of assessment areas would add more ‘hurdles’.
‘All of this will have a devastating impact on the wellbeing of teachers,’ he said.
And Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union, NAHT, said it ‘risks replicating the worst aspects of the current system and will do little to reduce the enormous pressure school leaders are under’.
Meanwhile, shadow education secretary Laura Trott insisted: ‘The previous system of one word judgments from Ofsted provided clarity for parents. This new system is more complicated, will please nobody and with a weaker response to failing schools, will lead to a reduction in standards.
‘Labour’s destructive plans for schools will just leave the poorest pupils suffering the most.’
And Sir Nick Gibb, former Tory school standards minister, said the new blueprint ‘increases complexity, reduces clarity for parents and weakens accountability’.
However, a Government source dismissed the criticism, saying: ‘The only people this Government is interested in pleasing is parents, who want the best education for their children.’
In response to the criticism that the plan ‘pleases no-one’, an Ofsted spokesman said: ‘In this consultation, the most important people we want to hear from are the parents we work for.’
Ruth Perry took her own life after her Primary School was downgraded by Ofsted
Mrs Perry’s sister, Professor Julia Waters, has been campaigning for change at Ofsted but even she said yesterday it was ‘dangerous’ and introduced ‘new risks’
The nine assessment areas of the new system include leadership, curriculum, achievement, behaviour, attendance and inclusion.
A separate rating of ‘met’ and ‘unmet’ will be applied to the issue of safeguarding, to recognise the fact that children are ‘either safe or not’.
The redesign will be implemented in September following a 12-week consultation, beginning today.
Ofsted said the new report cards are aimed at taking a ‘fairer’ and ‘balanced’ approach to ‘reduce the pressure on professionals’.
Sir Martyn Oliver, chief inspector of schools, said: ‘The Report Card will replace the simplistic overall judgement with a suite of grades, giving parents much more detail and better identifying the strengths and areas for improvement for a school, early years or further education provider.
‘We hope that this more balanced, fairer approach will reduce the pressure on professionals working in education, as well as giving them a much clearer understanding of what we will be considering on inspection.’
Under the Tories, the Department for Education refused to change Ofsted reports, saying accountability was needed, but after winning power Labour immediately abolished one-word judgements, and commissioned today’s full re-design.
The new designs have previously been leaked and described by one critic as being like a ‘Nando’s spice chart’.
