Ofsted chief wants state school standards ‘enshrined in law’

The chief inspector of Ofsted, Sir Martyn Oliver, has advocated for state school standards to be “enshrined in law” to prevent the inspectorate from “tinkering” with future assessments.

However, there is ambiguity about what these standards would encompass or how they would differ from the numerous existing statutory guidelines that schools must already adhere to.

This morning, Oliver spoke to hundreds of academy trust leaders at the Confederation of School Trusts’ annual conference in Birmingham.

Here are the main highlights…

1. Call for state school standards to be enshrined in law

Oliver expressed a desire for the Department for Education (DfE) to solidify “state school standards enshrined in law” to prevent Ofsted from “tinkering” with assessment frameworks.

“The next chief inspector may come in and alter the framework, or they might not,” he remarked, referencing the end of his own term in three years, “or even sooner”.

“The DfE has established independent school standards in law.

“I firmly believe there should be comparable state school standards enshrined in law to prevent Ofsted from making adjustments and introducing new elements at their discretion,” he stated. “That’s not what Ofsted’s role should be.”

Since 2015, independent school standards outline eight criteria for independent institutions, including education quality, students’ spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development, and the suitability of staff and premises.

Earlier this week, Oliver told the education committee that the new inspection toolkits have been crafted based on both statutory and non-statutory standards, meaning schools are evaluated on their adherence to expected norms.

Ofsted did not provide additional information on the proposed state school standards when contacted by Schools Week.

2. Headline grades still visible at schools

Oliver noted that even with Ofsted eliminating headline grades over a year ago, they continue to be “proudly displayed outside schools, nurseries, and further education institutions”.

Reflecting on his recent drive through the northeast, he remarked, “I’m very aware of the one-word judgment banners. It vividly highlights the scope of change we’re implementing.”

He described the upcoming new framework, set to launch on November 10, as “a revitalized system…that resets and redefines the perception of schools and how they view themselves.”

This new framework is designed to offer a comprehensive narrative that reflects the experiences of every child rather than just a surface-level judgment associated with a single word.

3. Avoid comparing new and old grading systems

Oliver cautioned against drawing comparisons between the new framework and its predecessor.

“If we intend to bring about such significant changes, it’s crucial to prevent people from making these comparisons,” he emphasized.

‘Exceptional’ – the highest grade in Ofsted’s new five-point grading system – “is not equivalent to the former ‘outstanding’,” he clarified. “I’m not claiming it’s harder or easier; it’s simply different.

“You cannot correlate ‘exceptional’ with ‘outstanding’. You cannot compare ‘strong’ with ‘good’. The term ‘expected standard’ cannot be equated with ‘requires improvement’ either.”

4. ‘Inclusivity and high achievement can coexist’

Critics fear that Ofsted’s changes could incentivize schools to exclude students unlikely to achieve top grades to elevate their scores in the new ‘achievement’ evaluation area.

However, Oliver stated that he aims to dispel the “myth of a false choice between inclusion and high standards”.

“You can achieve both inclusivity and high performance,” he affirmed. “We aim to acknowledge the remarkable work of schools that engage with challenging students rather than shunning them.”

He added that being inclusive means establishing and achieving high standards for “children with special educational needs (SEND), those eligible for free school meals, children in state care, and young carers”.

“We will demand, as you all do, high academic standards for these children.”

5. Ofsted supports heads enforcing behavior standards

In this regard, Oliver confirmed that Ofsted would “support” school leaders in maintaining high behavior standards within schools, and “back headteachers in enforcing rules and routines”.

“It is neither inclusive nor acceptable to tolerate the unacceptable behavior of one student at the detriment of others in the classroom,” he argued.

“The most inclusive schools foster the calmest classrooms where all students feel safe. Thus, I reiterate, inclusivity requires high standards.”

6. MAT inspections will be ‘complex’

Oliver acknowledged that Ofsted’s upcoming inspections of multi-academy trusts (MATs) – intended to be implemented within this Parliament – would be “quite complex”.

He stressed the importance of clarifying “the purpose” behind this move.

Expressing a need for greater accountability, he remarked, “I sense something isn’t quite right.”

He referenced prior comments from colleagues about hesitations in sponsoring schools facing difficulties.

“My primary goal would be to eliminate that mindset; it’s just irrational. We want the best individuals in these roles. We’re committed to assisting schools that require the most support.”

7. ‘Myth’ of unchecked headteacher stress

Oliver also aimed to debunk the “myth” that Ofsted has ignored headteacher stress in formulating its new inspection framework.

“This couldn’t be further from the truth,” he asserted.

He also echoed previous sentiments suggesting that critics of the inspectorate are fundamentally against accountability.

“This marks the most significant reform to Ofsted’s grading in 30 years,” he stated. “Yet for some, it will never be sufficient since we refuse to diminish accountability or eliminate grading altogether.”

He stressed that the changes are aimed at delivering “smarter accountability that elevates standards for pupils…providing parents with enhanced insights to make informed decisions about their children’s education and care”.

Oliver added that Ofsted is striving to improve conditions for teachers by ensuring accurate evaluations that highlight strengths, sharing provisional grades during inspections, and providing early feedback encompassing all aspects to be covered in the final report, while also celebrating positive outcomes.