Schools in England could be judged on scale of colours in Ofsted proposals

Schools might be evaluated using a five-level system that employs different colors or descriptions across ten distinct categories, including aspects like inclusion and belonging, according to suggestions from England's education inspectorate.

Labour has promised to eliminate Ofsted inspection reports that result in a single summary grade like "outstanding." This commitment follows a coroner's report stating that an inspection played a role in the tragic death of headteacher Ruth Perry last year.

During a presentation to educational leaders, Ofsted shared proposals that were initially reported by the Financial Times. The presentation featured a grading system with "exemplary" marked in purple as the highest rating, followed by "strong practice" in green, "secure" in lime, "attention needed" in yellow, and the lowest rating, "causing concern," in red.

The ten main aspects that will be evaluated include: the curriculum, instruction methods, safety measures, student success, leadership quality, behavior and values, attendance rates, readiness for future transitions, available opportunities, and overall inclusion and sense of belonging.

Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, has emphasized the importance of making sure students feel included and accepted in schools across England.

School leaders who spoke to the Guardian criticized Ofsted's proposals as “bewildering” and “burdensome” due to the many possible combinations of subjects and ratings. “Parents are looking for a straightforward school report, not a colorful array of options,” commented the head of a multi-academy trust.

Ofsted and the Department for Education (DfE) chose not to provide any comments on the suggestions, while a government insider mentioned that Ofsted's proposals are still being considered.

The government has committed to changing the existing system to a "report card" for every school. This new approach will showcase both the positive and negative aspects of each school, providing more detailed information than just a simple overall rating. It will include four different categories of assessment.

"The goal of Ofsted reform has always been to achieve improved and consistently high standards. Our intention is to involve teachers and school staff as collaborative partners in the effort to enhance education," said a government representative.

"Report cards will cover a broader spectrum of topics than what many schools are accustomed to, providing parents with more insights and, importantly, raising the quality of education in classrooms. When standards fall, it's often the disadvantaged children who suffer the most. Unlike the previous administration, this one is committed to addressing this issue."

The finalized proposals from Ofsted won't be revealed until January, when they plan to conduct a public consultation. According to a recent presentation by Ofsted: “Our goal is to make report cards more detailed by assessing each suggested evaluation area according to the proposed scale. This will help leaders and parents identify both the strengths and areas that need improvement in the service.”

Pepe Di’Iasio, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), stated, “The modifications to inspections are clearly still being developed. Our goal is to collaborate positively with the Department for Education and Ofsted to create procedures that are beneficial for schools, colleges, parents, and students.”

Nevertheless, we are worried about the current trend, which appears to be unnecessarily complex. It is already known that school report cards will evaluate various important aspects. It’s crucial that this evaluation process is straightforward, transparent, and just.

The Department for Education (DfE) and Ofsted need to allocate enough time to involve both educators and parents in their plans. This way, any proposed changes can be properly explained and evaluated before they are implemented in schools and colleges. Although we can’t share the specifics of the conversations happening behind closed doors, we are concerned about the direction the DfE and Ofsted seem to be heading. It seems like they are hastily trying to create a new system within a strict schedule, aiming to have everything in place by next September.