Ofsted is requesting schools publish a QR code link alongside any content they share from new report cards to help prevent leaders “cherry picking” grades shared with parents.
Sir Martyn Oliver said last month he wanted parents to see the whole report, not just the best parts of it.
He announced the watchdog would be introducing QR codes, but it would not be mandatory for schools to publish these.
Today, Ofsted has written to schools on how to use them in marketing materials.
“As there is no overall judgment to publicise, you are free to highlight your inspection results as you wish – perhaps by listing grades or quoting verbatim from your report card,” they said.
“However you choose to present printed content from your Ofsted report card, we request that you only do so alongside our new official QR code ‘badge’.”
Schools Week understands there is no legal requirement for schools to publish them and there won’t be any consequences.
Oliver said today: “The beauty of our new report cards is the clear picture they offer about a provider’s strengths and areas for improvement across a wide range of areas, without that blunt one-word judgement casting its shadow over the detail.
“Schools, colleges and nurseries are free to promote and celebrate their successes in any way they wish. But it’s important that parents and carers have easy access to their full inspection report card too, so they can understand those findings in their full context.
“We hope our new QR badges will be a really useful addition to banners, brochures and leaflets and, crucially, they will help us maintain transparency and accessibility in sharing inspection outcomes.”
The badges can be downloaded from the bottom of the each school’s page on the Ofsted website.
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