Grammar schools are inclusive, says Ofsted

Ofsted has branded every grammar school inspected so far under its new framework as inclusive, prompting a backlash from social mobility campaigners.

Schools with very small numbers of pupils with SEND and with free school meals rates at a fraction of the national average are among those judged as ‘expected standard’ or even ‘strong standard’ for inclusion.

Inspectors began rating schools on inclusion when the new framework launched last year. 

Ofsted’s inspection toolkit states that, when looking at inclusion, inspectors should consider how schools identify and support disadvantaged pupils, pupils with SEND, those known to children’s social care and children who “may face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing”.

However, the watchdog does not take into account a school’s admissions policy.

‘Strong standard’

Schools Week analysis found that, of 11 grammar schools inspected so far under the new framework, eight were rated ‘strong standard’ for inclusion, the second highest grade, while the rest met the ‘expected standard’, the middle of five grades.

Grammar school leaders have defended their record, arguing that glowing Ofsted reports reflect inclusion efforts for their cohorts. 

But Nuala Burgess, chair of the campaign group Comprehensive Future, said: “If Ofsted is giving a gold star for inclusion to schools that exclude most local children, they clearly don’t understand the meaning of the word.”

Sir Thomas Rich’s School in Gloucester was rated ‘strong standard’ across the board. 

For inclusion, inspectors noted that leaders “ensure that staff are well trained to identify pupils’ needs swiftly, including when needs may not be obvious. 

“This has led to an increase in the number of pupils identified for support. Teachers act effectively to remove barriers in the classroom, such as providing pupils with additional time to process their thinking.”

Few on EHCPs

At the school, 5.22 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals. The national average, which Ofsted uses as a comparison in its reports, is 28.9 per cent.

Just 0.88 per cent of the pupils at Sir Thomas Rich’s have education, health and care plans(EHCP). Across England the figure is 3.09 per cent. 

The Tiffin Girls’ School in Kingston upon Thames was rated ‘exceptional’ in all areas except inclusion, for which it was rated ‘strong standard’. Inspectors praised its “highly inclusive culture, which underpins the ethos of the school. 

“Leaders swiftly and accurately identify pupils who experience barriers to learning. Leaders oversee a rigorous system for assessing pupils’ needs. This includes those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who are disadvantaged. 

“A well-trained team provide clear guidance for staff on how best to meet the needs of all pupils. Leaders ensure that this information is clear and precise for all staff.”

The report card shows 9 per cent of the school’s pupils are eligible for free school meals, and just 0.24 per cent have an EHCP. The schools were approached for comment.

Dartford bucks the trend

Burgess said: “Grammar schools cannot be ‘inclusive’. These schools, by their very nature, exclude the majority of local children by design. That is their raison d’etre, and they take great pride in their exclusivity.

“A truly inclusive school welcomes all children from the local community. Grammar schools, on the other hand, exclude hundreds of children with additional needs and from disadvantaged backgrounds every year.”

The only grammar school inspected so far with a free school meals rate close to the national average is Dartford Grammar School for Girls, where 23.33 per cent of pupils are eligible.

Inspectors rated it ‘strong standard’ for inclusion and praised its “fully inclusive ethos where pupils feel valued and seen. 

“Leaders are highly ambitious for everyone to achieve their full potential, regardless of any barriers they may face.”

Headteacher Sharon Pritchard said the school was “extremely proud to be a highly inclusive and culturally diverse community”.

The school prioritises disadvantaged pupils in admissions, which pushes up the proportion of its intake eligible for the pupil premium.

“We are very proud of this and recognise it is highly unusual for a selective school.  In addition, the number of students with SEND and who may otherwise be considered as vulnerable, is growing.”

Inclusion judgment

The news comes after MPs raised concerns last year that Ofsted did not plan to look at admissions as part of its inclusion judgment. 

Former union leader Geoff Barton has also expressed fears, telling Tes that “what the framework does not do is look at how representative a school is of its local community”.

Social mobility charity the Sutton Trust recommended that Ofsted be granted the powers to inspect admissions directly as part of the inclusion category.

Charlotte O’Regan, schools engagement lead at the organisation, said the findings of Schools Week’s analysis “highlight the current limitations of the inclusion strand in the Ofsted framework. 

“By failing to consider a school’s approach to admissions as part of their inclusion ethos we risk oversimplifying our understanding of how inclusive a school is. 

“At worst it celebrates schools with small levels of disadvantage and SEND over those with above average proportions. This can encourage schools to curate their intakes.

“True inclusion starts with admissions. In order to meet the government’s aims to make all schools more inclusive we must reflect this in how we judge schools.”

But Mark Fenton, a former selective school head who leads the Grammar School Heads’ Association, said the new framework “seeks to assess how well schools are breaking down the barriers faced by their own pupils.

“Supporting pupils with SEND and those from disadvantaged backgrounds is a top priority for grammar schools – in common with all other schools – and inspection outcomes clearly reflect this.”

At St Ambrose College in Altrincham, Cheshire, 0.46 per cent of pupils have an EHCP and around 8 per cent receive free school meals – both below average.

But principal Dermot Rainey told Schools Week that inclusion was at the heart of the grammar school’s mission. 

“The story of the school’s founder, Edmund Rice, has a particular moment where he is said to have looked out of the window and decided to use his wealth to ‘level up’,” he said.

Being a Catholic school also “affords us opportunities to be inclusive, not just because of values, but also through the over-subscription criteria with admissions. 

Disadvantaged postcodes

“With Catholic applicants taking priority, it allows us to take in students from across Greater Manchester, many from some of the most disadvantaged postcode areas in the country.”

He noted that Ofsted’s new framework “is clear that the conversation around inclusion should be judged not only by who enters the school, but by what happens to them once they are there. 

“That allowed us to talk about our work and successes around social mobility and to demonstrate the transformational impact this work had on members of our community.”

Rainey added that, “while we know that our percentage of SEND and PP students is below the national average, it is growing year on year. Those students receive the same diet, experiences and outcomes as other students. 

“While our context may differ from that of many schools, our experience suggests that inclusion should be judged not simply by the proportion of SEND or disadvantaged pupils on roll, but by the extent to which every pupil is known, supported, participates fully in school life and leaves with improved life chances. 

“We believe our inspection report and the inclusion judgment accurately reflects that reality and would welcome visitors to see this work first-hand.”

‘Broad term’

The Skinners’ School in Tunbridge wells was given ‘expected standard’ for inclusion.

Its head Edward Wesson told Schools Week the school had doubled pupil premium intake during his tenure and while numbers are not high, “we do a number of things to make sure that they achieve and belong in a substantial way”.

He also pointed out inclusion was a “broad term” that also included young carers and speakers of English as an additional language.

“If you add these groups together at Skinners’ the numbers run into the hundreds.”

He added that “one of the key points about the new Ofsted framework is that it looks at each school in context.

“Just as Ofsted should not hammer an all-ability school for its below average outcomes if there is a good reason for those outcomes, nor should it hammer a selective school for having fewer disadvantaged children. It is what the school does with those children that matters.”

Wesson added the inspection process “did go pretty well when looking through the lens of inclusion”.

“We actually felt that our provision for inclusion was strong, because we are able to have a very bespoke focus on every disadvantaged child.

“It appears that the reason we were given an expected grade was because we did not have a more comprehensive written strategy, something we are now preparing.”

‘Not a competition’

Ilford County High School was rated ‘strong standard’ for inclusion.

Headteacher Gavin Barnett said schools “should be assessed on how well they know and cater for the students they serve and the particular needs and challenges within their community.

“Inclusion is not a competition based on who has the highest proportion of SEND or disadvantage, but about the quality and impact of the support provided.

“Just like many successful, inclusive schools, we place strong emphasis on quality first teaching, early identification, careful monitoring and targeted interventions across a range of needs.”

He felt Ofsted had “recognised this approach. Inspectors looked closely at our systems for early intervention, our tracking and monitoring processes, and how effectively we respond to a wide variety of needs.

“They engaged meaningfully with leaders, staff and students, taking a broad view of inclusion that went beyond headline figures and focused on lived experiences.”

‘Not just about FSM and SEND’

Approached for comment, Ofsted pointed out that it had no remit to look at schools’ admissions.

A spokesperson added: “Inclusion is a golden thread running through our entire inspection framework, but the inclusion evaluation area itself focuses specifically on leaders’ ambitions, intent and identification of those who need support. 

“And this is not just about support for children on free school meals or those with SEND –other children can also experience challenges that affect their well-being and ability to learn.

“While it is meaningless to draw any conclusions from an analysis of results for just 11 schools, the strong results on inclusion that we have seen so far across all schools should be celebrated.”