Nursery World - Ofsted: Government rules in favour of keeping single-word judgements

The Government has said that single-word inspection judgements will stay, despite recommendations from the education select committee of MPs that they should be scrapped and replaced with a more ‘nuanced’ system.

Teaching unions and campaigners reacted with dismay to the response.

They have been calling for radical reform of Ofsted inspections following the death of head teacher Ruth Perry, who took her own life in January 2023. Inspectors had downgraded her school, Caversham Primary, from 'outstanding' to 'inadequate'.

Berkshire’s senior coroner ruled that her suicide was ‘contributed to by an Ofsted inspection’.

The Government’s response to the committee’s report states that it is continuing to listen to the sector’s views and to look at alternatives to the four single-word judgements, including looking at ‘various approaches taken internationally’. However, the response still states the DfE’s belief that there are ‘significant benefits’ to the current system.

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