Outstanding Schools and Colleges should no longer be exempt from Ofsted Inspection

This week the Department confirmed our intention that outstanding schools and colleges should no longer be exempt from routine Ofsted inspection.

We have published the government’s response to the consultation on the removal of the exemption, which has received high levels of support from respondents.

Martyn Oliver, Chief Executive of Outwood Grange Academies Trust said:

As a Trust with eight Ofsted Outstanding schools we welcome the inclusion of these within the regular Ofsted inspection cycle.  Our schools do not belong to the Trust but to the communities they serve and Ofsted provides these communities with an important and trusted externally moderated judgement of the education and care we give children.  No community should be denied this view of any school at regular intervals.

The Department plans to reintroduce inspections for outstanding schools and colleges alongside the restart of routine inspections for all schools and colleges, from January 2021. We will keep this date under review.

Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson said:

Every child deserves an excellent education, giving them the knowledge, skills and opportunities they need to fulfil their potential.

I know parents rely greatly on schools’ Ofsted ratings to give them confidence in choosing the right school for their child, and these reforms will give parents even greater confidence, knowing that every Ofsted rating is up to date and relevant to their child.

We will continue to increase parent choice and drive up standards, as we emerge from the immediate response to the coronavirus pandemic, building a stronger school system that better serves pupils and families across the country.