Nursery World - Ofsted confirms no changes will be made to inspection grades

Ofsted says it will retain its four-point grading system of early years settings and schools despite criticisms from the sector.

In a new report, the inspectorate explains the reason behind keeping its current grading system and the evidence behind it.

It has been published ahead of the implementation of the new Education Inspection Framework (EIF) in September.

The report says that a range of arguments have been put forward for changing the current grading of early years settings, including:

Some commentators recommended moving to a below/above the line system. Some suggested scrapping the use of grades altogether, says Ofsted.

The inspectorate goes on to state that it does not ‘pretend that these objections do not exist or that they are not to some extent valid. However, on balance, the arguments for change do not yet counterbalance the arguments for keeping the current system.'

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