PaJeS welcomes decision to ditch Ofsted headline grades

Schools had been classified by one of four grades: outstanding, good, requires improvement or inadequate.

In September next year, a new “report card” system will be introduced to evaluate them.

But in the meantime, while headline grades will go for this year, grades will be retained for each of the four categories examined by inspectors.

“For inspections this academic year, parents will see four grades across the existing sub-categories: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development and leadership and management,” the Department for Education said.

The government would “continue to intervene in poorly performing schools to ensure high school standards for children”, it said.

Pressure for change had grown since the suicide of primary headteacher Ruth Perry last year following an Ofsted inspection that downgraded her school from outstanding to inadequate.