TThe abolition of one-word inspection judgements for schools in England was promised in the Labour manifesto, so the decision announced by Bridget Phillipson on Monday was not a surprise – but a relief. Problems with teacher recruitment and retention are made worse by tough working conditions, of which the stress that comes with Ofsted inspections is a major factor. The issue has become symbolic since headteacher Ruth Perry committed suicide last year after her school was downgraded to inadequate. The one-word report has come to symbolise all that is punitive about the current regime.
Schools are going through difficult times. The exam system has settled down after the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. But concerns about pupil attendance, mental health, poverty, behaviour, delayed repairs (particularly in schools where Raac is located) and the unmet needs of pupils with special educational needs are increasing pressure on staff in an already demanding role. The difficulties of addressing these issues, and the recommendations from ministers, 5.5% salary increase For teachers, taking on Ofsted was a sensible next move.
Details of the report card, which will replace the previous key assessments, must be decided before it is introduced next year. Under the current plan, schools will be assessed across four areas, including education and behaviour. In future, it is expected that ways will be found to display more information on websites and on fence banners. Parents will be able to compare schools using four assessments rather than one.
If this sounds reasonable, that's because it is. The claim that by abandoning blanket judgement, the government is caving to unions and abandoning parents is absurd. Encouraging people to be aware of nuances when choosing a school is a good idea. Boosting morale in the sector and encouraging talented, motivated graduates to want to work in it is in the interest of society as a whole, and children in particular.
The question is whether the proposed changes are enough, and whether they have the resources to meet the new mandate required by Ofsted. Schools have already been told they must contribute to teachers' salaries from their existing funding. budgetand it is not clear where Ofsted's budget increase will come from.
Mr Phillipson said accountability was non-negotiable. Children have a right to a good quality education and the Government must ensure that it is provided. As with other public services, this includes a strong inspectorate and mechanisms to address failures. But questions about the reliability and consistency of Ofsted's judgements must be resolved, as must the inspectorate's lack of power over multi-academy trusts, which manage 64% of secondary schools. Leaders of these bodies are unfairly exempt from scrutiny under existing rules. Proposal from Sir Michael WilshawAs a former chief inspector, he has argued that in future trusts should be inspected rather than individual schools, and this is worth considering.
It has long been the reality that the majority of state secondary schools are no longer accountable to local authorities. England remains a highly centralised state when it comes to education. Mr Phillipson will retain the power to force reforms on schools previously deemed inadequate. But Labour has promised to back local school improvement teams and provide more support to struggling schools. It is a positive way forward – away from Whitehall heavy-handedness and slowly restoring autonomy to the education sector.
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