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Will Ofsted’s latest plan create an unofficial fifth school rating?

Inspection advice/guidance Whole-school issues Senior leadership Inspection updates
Under new Ofsted proposals, ‘good’ schools may face a two-year wait if their short inspections are converted to a full Section 5. Pete Henshaw takes a look at the proposals and reaction from the profession

Ofsted is at risk of creating an “unofficial additional rating” for schools if it pursues its new proposals for reform of one-day inspections, it has been warned.

The inspectorate has published a second consultation document as it continues to look for a solution to a problem with its regime of short inspections of good schools – the practicalities of converting to a full inspection in just 48 hours.

Short one-day inspections of schools rated good were introduced by Ofsted in September 2015. The visits begin with the assumption that the school remains good. However, if there are concerns, it can be converted into a full inspection to be carried out within 48 hours.

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