Ending single-phrase Ofsted judgements is the right move but standards must not be allowed to fall

The inspection system is antiquated and does not provide nuanced information for parents to make an informed decision about their child’s education.

How can schools be summed up with ratings such as ‘outstanding’, ‘good’, ‘requires improvement’ and ‘inadequate’? It is an outdated and reductive approach.

The current system has led to an adversarial relationship between teachers and inspectors, which does not help bring the best out in pupils.

It was clear that teachers were being placed under unnecessary pressure by the existing system. The death of headteacher Ruth Perry showed that Ofsted was in desperate need for reform.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson says the new report card system will provide parents with “more information” than one-word judgments. But for the new system to work it requires buy-in from parents. And the implementation of the new system needs to be carried out considerately as change needs to be for the better.

What reforms must not become is a smoke-screen for failing schools. Standards must be improved across the board to ensure that children have the best possible start in life.

From early 2025, the Government will also introduce regional improvement teams that will work with struggling schools to address areas of weakness.

If the Government implements this effectively, then it could not only help schools improve but also help level up the nation. Regional inequalities have also shown up in the schools system with children in places like Yorkshire being left behind by peers in London and the South East.