Ofsted’s proposed inspection report cards are “unfit for purpose”, school staff, governors and parents have warned the inspectorate in an alternative consultation on the watchdog’s plans.
The inspectorate is planning to score schools on a new five-point grading scale across 11 different areas when it launches its report cards later this year.
But Ofsted’s proposals, which are currently the subject of a public consultation, have been criticised by many within the sector, with the Confederation of School Trusts (CST) warning today that the current plans could “undermine the reliability and legitimacy of inspection”.
An alternative consultation, launched by two former senior Ofsted inspectors, has raised fresh concerns, with nine in 10 school staff, governors and parents polled rejecting Ofsted’s five-point grading scale and the new top grade of “exemplary”.
The findings come as Ofsted has indicated for the first time that it is looking at changing its proposals.
Writing exclusively for Tes today, Ofsted has admitted that its report card grading approach needs “simplifying” and announced that it is considering revising aspects of the proposals, such as how it will decide grades.
Teachers reject Ofsted grading scale
The Alternative Big Consultation was launched by former inspectors Professor Colin Richards and Frank Norris in February, to coincide with Ofsted’s own consultation on report cards.
The alternative survey quizzed 708 respondents on proposals put forward by the inspectorate, but also asked them whether they believed that what was being proposed was “fit for purpose”.
The vast majority of respondents (90 per cent) rejected the five-point grading scale, with nearly two-thirds judging it “unfit for purpose”.
In written comments, respondents expressed concerns about how inspectors could come to a judgement on all 11 aspects of a school’s work within a two-day inspection.
The strongest dissatisfaction recorded concerned the “exemplary” grade, with 92 per cent of respondents critical or very critical of this proposal.
Ofsted’s proposed new grades range from “causing concern” at the lowest end, through “attention needed”, “secure” and “strong”, to the highest rating of “exemplary”.
In a Ofsted-commissioned YouGov poll of more than 1,000 parents in England, 67 per cent said they would prefer the report cards over current inspection reports.
‘Lack of specific detail’ in toolkits
The inspectorate is also introducing toolkits setting out what inspectors will look at when deciding school grades, which last year Tes first revealed were being developed.
Most respondents (85 per cent) in the Alternative Big Consultation rejected Ofsted’s proposals for inspection toolkits. There was a concern that a “lack of specific detail” could lead to inspectors “interpreting them differently”.
Steve Rollett, deputy chief executive of the CST, also warned that some of the wording in Ofsted’s toolkits is “so high-inference as to be unworkable”.
Rory Gribbell, director of strategy and engagement at Ofsted, said today that the watchdog recognised there is “some simplification to be done” regarding the toolkits.
Some 66 per cent of respondents were concerned about the type and nature of the contextual information that Ofsted says it will use in inspections, and whether it will be applied in a consistent manner.
Alternative approaches to inspection
The survey also asked respondents to consider alternative approaches to inspection that are not currently being offered by Ofsted.
Eight in 10 supported a system of peer-group review, which would promote quality assurance within an agreed national framework. Most respondents agreed that inspectors should be involved in this (75 per cent).
An additional 64 per cent favoured a light-touch inspection every four years, along with brief oral and written feedback provided to teachers, parents and governors.
Three-quarters of respondents agreed that follow-up full inspections needed to be considered where significant issues had been identified.
Ofsted’s efforts to improve ‘are faltering’
Professor Richards said the findings show that Ofsted’s “efforts to rehabilitate itself are faltering”.
“There is a major crisis in the offing should the government and Ofsted force its proposals on an unwilling, disaffected teaching profession. The quality of education is being put at risk, as is the sector’s patience and resilience,” Professor Richards added.
Ofsted’s proposals follow the death of headteacher Ruth Perry, who took her own life in January 2023 after an inspection downgraded her school from “outstanding” to “inadequate”.
Despite Ofsted’s proposed changes, Mr Norris said that ”we have a genuine fear that without fundamental change, another school leader could take their own life”.
“It is clear from our findings that very fundamental changes are needed to the current inspection model to satisfy the legitimate expectations of both parents and the teaching profession,” he said.
An Ofsted spokesperson said: “The consultation on our proposals for education inspection is open until 28 April and I would urge anyone with an interest to participate at gov.uk/ofsted. To date more than 5,000 people have had their say.”
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