School report cards from Ofsted will soon be revamped and deployed in the upcoming months.

Redesigned School Report Cards for England to Debut in November

The UK Department for Education is set to introduce a new school report card system for schools in England from November, aiming to provide parents with a clearer understanding of the strengths and areas for improvement at their children's schools.

The new report cards will employ a color-coded, five-point grading scale, offering more detail on aspects such as attendance, behavior, and inclusion. This change is part of a broader overhaul of the school inspection system, initiated following the tragic death of headteacher Ruth Perry last year.

The grades will range from "urgent improvement" to "exceptional", and the new system is expected to place a heavy emphasis on parental engagement. According to Jason Elsom, chief executive of Parentkind, this shift represents a significant step forward.

However, the new report card system has not been without controversy. A coalition of school leaders, former inspectors, trade unions, and Ms Perry's sister have called for a delay in the changes, expressing concerns about the reliability, accuracy, and consistency of inspection results.

The coalition also raised concerns about the potential negative impact of a punitive, grades-based inspection system on the welfare of the workforce. They fear that the new inspection framework may continue to pose life-threatening risks, based on public shaming and the fear of high stakes consequences.

In response to these concerns, an extra inspector will be added to school inspection teams to ease pressure on staff. Additionally, in early years settings, inspections will take place every four years instead of every six, with a focus on the quality of education and care.

Inspectors will also assess how well schools support children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and those known to social care, with inclusion given its own grade. Contextual factors such as the number of children eligible for free school meals and socio-economic factors will contribute to the judgments made.

Nearly seven in 10 parents prefer the new report card format to the current reports, according to a YouGov survey commissioned by Ofsted. This preference is mirrored among parents, with nine in 10 finding the new reports easier to understand.

Despite these positive sentiments, criticism of the inspection system remains. Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union, believes Sir Martyn Oliver has failed to reduce pressure with the new system.

The new school report card system is scheduled to come into effect in September 2025. With its focus on parental engagement and detailed reporting, it remains to be seen how the new system will impact schools and the education system as a whole.