Ofsted to remove ‘satisfactory’ from school ratings
In a move Ofsted says is designed to ‘tackle the number of coasting schools that have remained stubbornly ‘satisfactory’ over a number of inspections’, it has said it will scrap its ‘satisfactory’ rating, replacing it with a ‘requires improvement’ category. But one union has said the measure ‘is about ratcheting up pressure on schools, without providing the support and resources they need to assist them in securing further improvements ‘.
Currently, schools can be ranked ‘inadequate’, ‘satisfactory’, ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’. But if the new proposals, which are subject to consultation, get the green light, ‘satisfactory’ will become ‘requires improvement’, and no school will be allowed to remain within this grade for more than three years.
