Ofsted new inspection framework: Browne Jacobson comment

Ofsted has announced its new inspection framework for schools and academy trusts, featuring new-look report cards. 

From 10 November, it will introduce a five-point grading scale to replace the old one or two-word grading system that was scrapped last year. 

Inspectors will use this new system to mark schools across areas including curriculum and teaching, early years, achievement, inclusion, leadership and governance, personal development and wellbeing, and attendance and behaviour. 

Responding to today’s announcement, Katie Michelon, partner in the education team at UK and Ireland law firm Browne Jacobson, said: “There have been changes to the new framework as a result of the consultation exercise, but many schools will still feel it is a case of swapping one set of labels for another.

“Only 14% of school leaders expressed satisfaction relating to government policy on Ofsted inspections in our summer 2025 School Leaders Survey – versus nearly two-thirds (63%) dissatisfied or very dissatisfied. It feels unlikely there will be a major turnaround in sentiment following today’s publications.

“We also know anecdotally how some of our clients feel frustrated that, in striving to strike a balance between narrative descriptions of performance with area gradings, Ofsted has missed a unique opportunity to create something genuinely different.

“School and trust leaders previously told us via our survey that an overhaul in the inspection framework has been needed. Two years ago, 70% of respondents told us that single-word judgements equated to simplicity at the cost of fairness.

“The permanent eradication of the single-phrase overall judgement certainly goes some way to address the well–publicised issues most tragically highlighted by Ruth Perry’s death. Yet, the stakes of inspection remain high, as confirmed by the outcome of the DfE’s consultation on school accountability, also published today.

“From our experience of working with schools and trusts on challenging inspections, we know that a recurring frustration has been the lack of consistency when it comes to implementation of the inspection framework.

“Ofsted has acknowledged the need for consistent evaluation but this will require careful training and further 'listening' in the coming weeks, particularly in those areas of the framework which allow room for the professional judgement of individual inspectors.”