NAHT welcomes pledge of fuller Ofsted reporting - but says end to single-word judgements must follow

Responding to Ofsted chief inspector Sir Martyn Oliver's pledge at the ASCL annual conference that the inspectorate will change its website so visitors see the 'full range of component grades' for each school in inspection reports, not just headline judgements, Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders' union NAHT, said:

"There is no doubt that single word or phrase judgements are deeply problematic and unreliable. They drive stress, ill-health and a range of perverse incentives. 

"Fuller reporting is therefore helpful, and it is better to give parents a wider range of information, but what is needed is deeper system reform of inspection which must include substantive change to the inspection framework, associated methodology and reporting. 

"NAHT set out a road map for interim and longer term reform in our recent report Rethinking school inspections."

Component judgments cover quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management and ratings for sixth form or early years provision where applicable.