红桃影视

Ofsted has published its first report cards from new school inspections, as the leaders of featured schools warn about the impact of repeated visits and question some of the outcomes.

Reports for 22 volunteer schools – 13 primary schools and nine secondaries – inspected under the framework that took effect in November had so far been published by Ofsted, as of Thursday night.

As schools volunteered for the inspections, we would expect the outcomes to be positive.

The inspectorate has previously said the 鈥渓ikely three most commonly awarded grades鈥� will be the middle three 鈥� 鈥榥eeds attention鈥�, 鈥榚xpected standard鈥� and 鈥榮trong standard鈥�.

Schools Week analysis shows of the 150 individual grades awarded, just four 鈥榥eeds attention鈥� grades were given across four schools. No school received the lowest ‘urgent improvement’ rating.

The grades were instead largely clustered around the middle and second-highest point on the five-point scale, with 79 at 鈥榚xpected standard鈥� and 58 ‘strong standard鈥�.

Meanwhile nine 鈥榚xceptional鈥� grades were awarded across two primary schools and one secondary.

School 鈥榙istressed鈥� by follow-up visit

Leigh Academy Halley, a secondary and sixth-form in Greenwich, south London, was the highest rated of the 22 schools with five 鈥榚xceptional鈥� grades and two 鈥榮trong standard鈥�.

pupils 鈥渇rom all backgrounds are welcomed, nurtured, challenged and supported鈥� at the 鈥渆xceptionally inclusive鈥� school, where they 鈥渇eel safe, attend very well, and thrive鈥�. Principal Ben Russell said the school 鈥渃ould not be more delighted鈥�.

But Simon Beamish, the chief executive of its sponsor the Leigh Academies Trust said: 鈥淎lthough the outcome from this inspection was superb, it didn鈥檛 feel like a more humane experience.鈥�

Ten HMI inspected the school across two days from November 11. But the report says inspectors had to return almost a month later to 鈥済ather additional evidence鈥�.

鈥淎s you can imagine this was distressing for staff.鈥�

Beamish believes inspectors had initially failed to enter evidence on laptops 鈥渄uring every inspection activity, as directed鈥�.

Ofsted was approached for comment.

Achievement descriptors ‘one-dimensional’

Beamish also said some grade descriptors in the 鈥榓chievement鈥� area appeared 鈥渧ery one-dimensional鈥�. Context was not taken into account as much as “we had been led to believe”.

鈥淚t is only right that in a school like Halley with a very high level of mobility, disadvantage and EAL, these [descriptors] are interpreted carefully with proper regard to the鈥�pupil cohort.鈥�

He said inspectors 鈥渆ventually took this on board鈥�, but 鈥渋t took some time鈥�.

St Leonard鈥檚 Church of England Primary Academy, in Hastings, received six 鈥榚xpected standard鈥� grades, but ‘needs attention’ for attendance and behaviour.

鈥減upils behave well鈥� but that 鈥渁ttendance is not high enough鈥�.

鈥淟eaders have taken steps to reduce the barriers some pupils face鈥� but 鈥渢his is not yet effective enough鈥� meaning some pupils 鈥渕iss too much school鈥�, particularly those with SEND.

Frustrations over ‘attendance and behaviour’ grouping

Faith Rew, the school鈥檚 head, said it was “regrettable” that under the new framework, her school’s “well鈥慹stablished strengths in behaviour are obscured by a 鈥榥eeds attention鈥� judgment relating solely to attendance”.

Data shows the school’s absence rate sat at 7 per cent in 2023-24 – above the national average of 5.5 per cent. Meanwhile its persistent absence was 19.1 per cent – above a 14.6 per cent national average.

“While we fully accept our responsibility to improve attendance for all pupils … we remain proud of the consistently positive, responsible and kind behaviour, strong engagement, and positive attitudes to learning shown across the school,” said Rew.

Meanwhile, Ark Castletown Primary Academy in Hastings was graded 鈥榮trong standard鈥� for 鈥榓ttendance and behaviour鈥� despite having similar levels of absence (6.7 per cent in 2023-24) and persistent absence (19 per cent).

鈥渄etailed and precise work with pupils and families鈥� had led to 鈥渘otable improvements in attendance鈥�. Attendance among disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND was above average, and the described it as 鈥渁n extremely inclusive school鈥�.

Ofsted has made clear inspectors will take context into account and look beyond numbers alone when grading.

Ark Schools managing director Venessa Willms said attendance 鈥渉as been a top priority for the Ark network this year, and we鈥檙e delighted that Ofsted has recognised our hard work鈥�.

Meanwhile Andrew Rigby, national director of education at REAch2 Academy Trust, described Ofsted’s new secure-fit grading model as “a double-edged sword”.

Four REAch2 schools have so far been inspected under the new framework, including 鈥撀燼 volunteer school which received two ‘strong standard’ grades, and five ‘expected standard’.

Writing for Schools Week, Rigby said: “We鈥檝e seen schools meet every descriptor for strong except one鈥攁nd then land at expected.”

But he said inspectors stressed that ‘expected standard’ is a high bar. “It really does signal that a school is doing the right things consistently and well.” He said he was pleased to see the narrative section of Aeorodome’s report card “reflect what makes the school tick”.

Leaders split on new format

Lorraine Clarke, Ark鈥檚 director of primary, said the new report format 鈥渕akes it easier for parents and the wider community to understand what really matters.鈥�

Others disagreed. One X user described Ark Castledown鈥檚 16-page report as 鈥渘ot very friendly for viewing鈥�.

Meanwhile Beamish warned new report cards 鈥渁re much longer鈥�. 鈥淚 do wonder how many parents will get to the end鈥�.

Meanwhile n Forest Gate, London, scored three ‘exceptional’ grades, and four ‘strong standard’.

Meanwhile the approach was “thorough”. Inspectors spent “extended periods” in classrooms, and listened carefully to pupils, staff and parents.

She said the addition of the nominee role was “invaluable”. “Their presence offered consistent support for both the headteacher and staff throughout the process,” she said.

Begum “felt genuinely listened to” and that her school’s context “was carefully considered at every stage”.

Report cards for the first non-voluntary Ofsted inspections under the new framework, which began in December, are yet to be published.

Andy Jordan, inspection and accountability specialist at leaders’ union ASCL, said this will give “a better understanding of how the new system is working”, adding: “We will be keeping a close eye on this and supporting members as necessary.鈥�

Meanwhile he said high grades for volunteer schools were “anticipated” and “reflect[s] the hard work that has gone on in these institutions.”