If Ofsted inspection reports do not paint an “accurate picture” of schools in England, how are parents able to choose one that suits their child? Headteachers and existing research suggests Ofsted judgments may not play as large a role as its defenders think.
Chris Ashley-Jones, the executive head of Hitherfield primary school in Streatham, south London, said he had shown 100 parents around the school during recent open days. “Not a single one of them mentioned Ofsted,” he said.
Hitherfield primary has been rated as “good” by Ofsted since 2013 and is popular with local parents. But Ashley-Jones said the school had an unhappy short inspection earlier this year that left some staff members in tears.
“We feel that the inspection system is past its use-by date,” said Ashley-Jones, a head for 18 years. His advice for parents is not to rely on Ofsted and instead do their own homework.
School leaders who spoke to the Guardian had the following tips:
Visit the school
All school leaders agreed that there was no substitute to visiting schools and asking questions of teachers and especially of school leaders. School open days are the most obvious opportunities, but most schools are willing to accept visitors at other times if they book an appointment in advance. Resistance to arranging visits or meetings with the leadership team could be a warning sign in itself. Parents of children with special needs will want to speak to a school’s special needs coordinator. Location and transport links are also an important consideration.
Speak with parents and pupils
Another obvious method is to talk to parents with current or recent pupils at a school. But asking if it is a good school or not is not enough – more specific questions about the school’s behaviour policy are more helpful. Examples include its policy on hair and uniform, and frequency and length of detentions. Also ask about the school’s communications with parents, as well as the types of food served at lunch.
Find the performance tables
Exam results do not tell the full story, whether for Sats in primaries or GCSEs in secondaries. The Department for Educations’s performance tables include a wider range of information, including (for GCSEs) the school’s progress score, showing how much the average pupil improved compared with their peers nationally or in the local authority. The tables also have details about staffing and school finances, as well as size and governance.
Check attendance rates
Some heads said that while a school’s behaviour policy and practice might be difficult for outsiders to gauge, one proxy measure was the school’s attendance rates – because research suggests a link between general levels of behaviour and pupil absenteeism in secondary schools. But they cautioned that the Covid era may have weakened that link, with rising levels of absence in recent years.
Critically read the Ofsted report
Rather than ignore Ofsted, parents are advised to read what Ofsted has produced critically, looking beyond a single phrase such as “good” or “outstanding”. The first question is how old the report is. Inspections carried out four or more years ago are unlikely to be relevant. Similarly, a change in headteacher since the last inspection will also dilute its relevance.
• This article was amended on 6 November 2023 to correct a misnaming of Chris Ashley-Jones as “Ashley-Hughes”.
