On 2nd September 2024, Ofsted removed single-word judgements for schools and maintained early years settings, effective immediately.
This change in Ofsted inspection ratings will initially impact all maintained schools and academies, including maintained early years provisions for children aged two and above.
In this article, we share the Ofsted September 2024 changes, why single-word judgements are being abolished, and what these changes will mean for your early years setting.
Jump ahead to:
What are the Ofsted September 2024 changes?
- As of Monday 2nd September 2024, Ofsted single-word judgements will no longer be used during Ofsted inspections for maintained schools and academies.
- Previously used judgements (Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement and Inadequate) will be replaced by a rating in the four pre-existing categories.
- The immediate changes will affect maintained nursery schools and early years provision within a maintained school or academy (for children aged two and above).
- Private nurseries and independent schools, among other settings, will continue to get headline grades in Ofsted inspections for now.
- Settings that have received Requires Improvement two times in a row will now be given mentor support from a well-performing school rather than the previous policy to change the school management.
Why has Ofsted changed the single-word judgements?
The newly appointed Labour Party identified their priority for improving education and early years provision in their manifesto.
They have highlighted that the ‘One-word judgements aren’t working for parents and schools.’ Fewer than 40% of parents and 29% of teachers support the current one-word judgment approach.
The Labour government aim to give parents a more comprehensive picture of a school’s performance across all of the four current categories that are inspected:
- Quality of Education
- Behaviour and Attitudes
- Personal Development
- Leadership and Management
Alongside improved parent understanding, the aims are to increase school standards. Introducing the new School Report Cards will hold schools accountable across a broader range of measures.
What are Ofsted School Report Cards?
In short, we don’t know what they’ll look like as they are still developing. They will be rolled out across all maintained schools, academies and nurseries by September 2025.
The Labour government has promised to work with stakeholders like Ofsted, educational professionals and parents to make the Ofsted School Report Cards transparent and easily understood.
What will these changes mean for maintained nursery schools?
If you are a nursery school or preschool attached to a maintained academy or school, the Ofsted changes will impact you immediately.
If you are due an Ofsted visit:
Your upcoming Ofsted visit will not include a single-word judgment attached to the findings. Instead, your setting will receive a rating across the four pre-existing categories.
If you are outside of the Ofsted window:
If you have just had an EYFS Ofsted inspection, your setting will retain your rating until your next inspection happens.
As the new Ofsted School Inspection Handbook is due to be released this month, there may be more detailed information on what these ‘ratings’ will look like.
The more detailed feedback approach could be a real positive for your nursery. More detail gives more air-time to the positive environment you create for your children and how you do it.
This means more positive information for prospective parents to scan through. More detailed reports invite the opportunity to learn from good practice through other settings’ Ofsted reports.
How will private nurseries be affected by Ofsted’s changes?
For now, private nurseries and childcare settings will not be directly impacted by the Ofsted single-word judgement changes. Private nurseries will continue to receive a judgment rating for their Ofsted inspections.
The plan is to remove single-word judgements across more educational providers. In the next 12 months, the government will target early years settings, independent schools, children’s social care providers, colleges, and initial teacher training providers.
I am an early years provider, what should I do now?
If the most recent Ofsted changes immediately impact you, inform your parents of the upcoming changes (you can send them this blog post).
Reassure them that the changes to single-word judgements still ensure their child will receive the highest-quality care and education.
It may reassure your staff and parents that over 77% of the thought group used for the concept of School Report Cards favoured them over the single-word approach.
Finally, keep an eye out for additional updates from Ofsted about the new rating process. This is likely to be detailed in the latest School Inspection Handbook, which is expected in the coming weeks.
Want to receive information about the updated School Inspection Handbook and what this will mean for EYFS when it is released?
