Parents ‘seem to support’ new report cards, Oliver claims

The chief inspector of Ofsted will say today that parents “seem to support the broad approach that we have set out” in plans for report cards.

Sir Martyn Oliver will also tell an event run by Parentkind that new report cards would be “much closer to a child’s school report”, insisting they would give a “more balanced picture of schools”.

The watchdog is currently consulting on plans to replace the current system of four grades across up to six areas with five grades over up to 11.

The proposals have gone down badly among many leaders and unions, with ASCL this week urging Ofsted back to the drawing board.

But Ofsted said its own commissioned research “shows high parent support for Ofsted’s report card proposals”.

Ofsted reveals YouGov parent polling

YouGov polled 1,090 parents. Ofsted said it found 67 per cent said they preferred the proposed new report cards to current reports.

Eighty-six per cent said the information was easy to understand, and 84 per cent “found the use of colour coding useful”, Ofsted said.

Two thirds of parents (66 per cent) “said they support Ofsted continuing to grade schools on a scale”. Just 15 per cent said they preferred the current reports.

Oliver will say today that Ofsted will report on “a much wider range of areas – things that matter to parents.

“Things like behaviour, achievement, attendance, teaching and the curriculum, leadership and governance, and inclusion – really looking in detail at how schools make sure their pupils all have a sense of belonging, especially those who are disadvantaged, vulnerable, or have special educational needs.”

For each area, “parents will be able to see a clear grade, and a description of what we found when we inspected the school.

‘A more balanced picture’

“Report cards will help give a more balanced picture of schools. Because the best schools aren’t perfect and have areas where they could do better, and the schools which might be seen as ‘weaker’ will have aspects of their work that they do really well.

“In that way a school’s report card will be much closer to a child’s school report. Going back to my art teacher days, the one-word grade paints a monochrome picture of a school, we want to paint it in colour.”

Parents were also asked which of the 11 proposed evaluation areas for schools they considered the most useful.

Fifty-one per cent said ‘behaviour and attitudes’, while 48 per cent cited ‘personal development and wellbeing’. Forty-one per cent said ‘safeguarding’ and 35 per cent ‘achievement’.

Oliver will say that Ofsted’s proposed approach “will drive ever higher standards for children.

“It will give schools an independent and expert assessment of what they’re doing well and where they could improve. It will validate, assure, and celebrate their hard work, and shine a light on how they can do even better.

“Of course, what I’ve set out today are our proposals, they are not set in stone. I’m sure there are things that could be better. Things we could refine. But we are encouraged that parents seem to support the broad approach that we have set out.”

‘Serious concerns’

Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the ASCL leaders’ union, said: “We support the principle of report cards and broadly agree with Ofsted’s proposals on the areas to be evaluated.

“However, we have serious concerns about the proposed five-point grading scale. Ofsted’s plan to introduce ‘strong’ and ‘exemplary’ ratings effectively suggests that being ‘secure’ is not good enough.”

He warned the approach “risks intensifying the pressure on education staff at a time when workload pressures are high, wellbeing is often poor, and teacher shortages are widespread.

“Furthermore, it is difficult to see how inspectors could reliably make so many finely balanced judgements across multiple areas in a single inspection.

“We doubt that parents would support a system which worsens teacher shortages and is at significant risk of being unreliable and inconsistent.”