One word judgements - who needs them?

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There is an argument in support of the current model of Ofsted that does the rounds. Round and round it goes. It's related to the cling-on obsession of one work judgements and it needs dismantling.


Amanda Spielman used it on the Today Programme yesterday when she stated Ofsted was listening to concerns "without losing our clear focus on the needs of the children and the parents." Apparently, parents "like the clarity and simplicity". In the latest round of minor, superficial concessions, the one word judgements still remain. Otherwise what would parents do?


I just don’t know what they are talking about. When you think about the publication of these one word judgements, in practical terms, it doesn’t make any sense. 


One thing I do know about is the experience of communicating Ofsted inspection outcomes with families - families whose children are attending the school. It's not a pleasant activity. Dear parents, Whilst we are really proud of our school I am writing to let you know that unfortunately.....


I am bewildered as to how anyone - Ofsted or otherwise - can think that a one word negative judgement is in any way beneficial or helpful to those parents. Dear parent, I need to tell you that the school that your children currently go to is not as good as Ofsted previously said it was. The word they use is inadequate.  


A range of things might happen. Will it be one of these? 

  • The parents will worry and lose faith in the school. 

  • The parents will take the children out. 

  • The parents will become less trusting of the leaders which may end in increased complaints and a reduction in support. 

  • They may want to help. Might some seek to become governors? 

  • They may get quite angry. We are seeing this increasingly. It does not represent the school that they know.


Is this why Ofsted believes one word judgements are essential for parents? This kind of scenario doesn’t make for positive relationships between school and home. It doesn’t really achieve anything positive at all. 



And as for parents looking for a school for their children? There is often very little choice, especially if it is an 'in-year' admission scenario i.e. the family has moved to the area and will go to wherever there is a gap. In standard admissions processes e.g. into Year 7 at the start of secondary, children are allocated a place in a school. If it is a fourth choice school then, unless there is a successful appeal, the child will still go there. So again, I’m not sure what the purpose is. 


What is the impact on the parents whose child is allocated an ‘RI’ or ‘Inadequate’ school? Mainly worry and concern I would imagine. Furthermore, some parents will go to great lengths to make sure their children don't go to that school. This means patchier intakes, reduced budgets, resources thrown at appeals panels, community distrust. Schools close eventually, children travel further, careers are destroyed, buildings lie empty. 


And how does this meet the needs of the parents whose children are going there as the school slowly falters? 


I sent my children to an RI school when I moved into the area here in the east. There were 17 children on roll. It was where there was a place for all three of them in their different year groups, with the other primary schools all being nearly full. I knew enough about schools to not care about the historical judgement. The visit told me all I needed to know. I didn’t give a fig about the Ofsted headline, but then I had the advantage of being an education insider. 


I don't give a fig


Next time you hear this argument rolled out yet again, that parents need the one word judgements, think about it for a moment. Which parents need them and under what circumstances? They certainly don’t improve lives, that’s for sure.  


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P.S. The one word judgements do serve a practical purpose in that they trigger academy orders when a school is deemed inadequate (or RI in two successive inspections). So they are a mechanism to push a specific, political agenda. In case you were wondering….. 


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​In a recent survey with 523 school leaders in the east, when leaders were asked what their main concerns were about inspections, the top concern from a list was one word judgements (57% of respondents). To find out more about the Eastern Leaders Ofsted Survey and its results, click here to read a summary in Schools Week. 

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