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What does a ‘good’ school really look like?

Ofsted
As Ofsted continues to consult on its proposed reforms to how schools will be judged, Helen Osgood asks what it is that makes a ‘good’ school and a ‘good’ education
Defining good: Whatever the outcome of Ofsted's consultation over the new inspection framework, the debate will continue as to what makes a school – and the education it offers – 'good' - Adobe Stock

As we know, Ofsted is consulting on changes to its inspection system, which will, as things stand, introduce a new report card system.

This will assess schools on a five-point grading scale instead of the current four-point system. This shift is designed to provide a more nuanced picture of school performance, but it also poses a bigger question: what makes a school “good”?

At first glance, the ingredients of a good school might seem obvious and straightforward – well-behaved students, high exam results, and highly qualified, supportive teachers. But surely it is about more than just a surface description? We believe that what defines a good school is much more layered, complex and nuanced.

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