New reforms aim to provide a more detailed picture of school performance and address mental health and accountability concerns.
The government has announced the immediate scrapping of one or two-word Ofsted inspection grades for schools in England. The long-standing overall grade categories of Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, and Inadequate will no longer be issued. The move comes after years of debate over whether a single overall grade can adequately reflect the complexities of a school’s performance, as well as the tragic suicide of head teacher Ruth Perry in early 2023.
How Did Ruth Perry's Tragic Death Spark Change?
Ruth Perry, the head teacher of Caversham Primary School, took her own life in January 2023 while awaiting the publication of an Ofsted report. Perry had already been informed that her school would receive an “Inadequate” rating after inspectors raised concerns about systems and training related to safeguarding. An inquest later revealed that no child had come to any harm, yet Perry was haunted by the belief that she had let down her school and community. The inquest found that the Ofsted inspection had contributed to Perry’s death.
“She had a bruising inspection that left her very fragile, and that word ‘Inadequate’… she went over and over it, writing it down,” said Perry’s sister. “She’d just had the trauma of an unexpectedly bad Ofsted, but she was still anticipating the public humiliation that would come with that.”
Coroner Heidi Connor, who oversaw Perry’s inquest, stated that while Ofsted’s one-word grading system’s “transparency and ease” had value, it had not been weighed against the impact on teacher welfare. Connor also questioned how a single judgment could sum up a school with fixable issues and one “dreadful in every respect.”
What Are the Government's Plans for Reform?
The government has now acknowledged the need for reform in evaluating school performance. The Education Secretary described the existing system as inadequate for representing the complete picture of a school’s strengths and weaknesses.
“Accountability is non-negotiable, but we have to be better than this,” she said. “I think parents are capable of understanding a wider range of information, not just having everything boiled down into one word.”
Instead of single-word grades, Ofsted will continue to inspect schools against the same standards, but the reports will focus on detailing specific aspects of school performance. Starting this academic year, parents will see grades across sub-categories such as quality of education, behavior and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. By September 2025, a new “report card” system will be introduced to give parents a more comprehensive overview of how schools perform.
How Will the New System Address Mental Health Concerns?
In response to Perry’s death and the coroner’s recommendations, Ofsted has also introduced new policies to address mental health concerns. These include revisiting schools graded Inadequate over safeguarding issues within three months and pausing inspections if a head teacher is in severe mental distress. Additionally, inspectors will receive mental health training to understand better the pressures faced by school leaders.
New Ofsted Chief Inspector Sir Martyn Oliver, who took over in early 2024, has pledged to learn from the tragedy of Ruth Perry’s death. An independent review of Ofsted’s response to her suicide is expected to be published on September 3, alongside further details of how school inspections may evolve.
“It really shouldn’t have been like this – it shouldn’t take a bereaved family member to push for change for such a long time,” said Perry’s sister, adding, “but yes, it’s a relief that no other head teacher will have to go through what Ruth went through.”
What Are the Reactions to the Reform?
While many in the education sector have welcomed the scrapping of single-word judgments, reactions have been mixed. The chief executive of a leading parent advocacy group emphasized the importance of ensuring that the new report card system provides “greater clarity” for parents about school performance.
The National Association of Head Teachers described the single-word judgments as “harmful.” The National Education Union echoed this sentiment, reiterating calls for Ofsted to be scrapped altogether.
However, only some are convinced that removing the overall grades is right. The opposition argued that the headline inspection outcome remains “a vital indicator for parents.” Concerns were raised that scrapping the overall grade could reduce the clarity of school performance for parents, stating that the change is “not in the best interest of pupils or parents.”
Former Chief Inspector of Schools Amanda Spielman, who had previously defended the simplicity of the overall rating system, has since acknowledged its flaws. Despite its original intention to provide “simplicity and clarity,” the overall effectiveness rating had become “more of a problem than a help.”
What Does the Path Forward Look Like?
The government’s changes aim to balance the need for accountability with the mental well-being of educators. The government hopes to address the concerns raised by Ruth Perry’s death and the wider teaching profession by moving away from one-word summaries and introducing more detailed evaluations.
Phillipson also highlighted that these changes would be funded by removing tax breaks for private schools, ensuring that resources are directed toward improving public education. Additionally, school improvement teams will be set up across all areas by early next year to support struggling schools and ensure they receive help.
As these reforms are implemented, many in the education sector will be watching closely to see whether they truly address the concerns of teachers, school leaders, and parents. For now, the removal of single-word judgments marks a significant shift in how schools in England will be evaluated, with the hope that it will lead to a fairer and more comprehensive assessment process.
