UK schools rated 'outstanding' a decade ago, 'downgraded' by watchdog Ofsted in recent inspection, read here

After their first inspections in years, Ofsted downgraded hundreds of schools in England that had previously been rated "outstanding".

Inspection authority Ofsted said that it visited more than 500 schools last academic year that had previously been spared from routine inspection because they had received an outstanding rating.

The exemption, which went into effect in 2012 and was removed in 2020, gave outstanding-rated schools a legal exemption from additional routine inspections unless there were special issues.


Only 17% of the 370 schools that had graded inspections kept their outstanding rating when they underwent a second inspection in the 2021- 22 school year, according to Ofsted. It also said that the previous inspection for the schools that were re-inspected was, on average, more than 13 years ago.

Chief inspector Amanda Spielman of the Ofsted said that the findings demonstrated that "removing a school from inspection does not make it better".

When previously exempt schools were re-inspected, 62% received a rating of “Good” instead of "Outstanding", while 21% were deemed to need improvement or to be insufficient.

Spielman said, "Regular inspection provides parents assurance in the quality of their child's school". “Furthermore, it shielded several schools from the positive challenge that comes with frequent inspection”.

All previously exempt outstanding rated schools will be inspected by the end of July 2025, Ofsted added.

FAQ

1-What are the different types of ratings from Ofsted inspections?
Currently, Ofsted may give schools one of four overall ratings: exceptional, good, needs improvement, or inadequate.

2- How often do elementary schools undergo Ofsted inspections?
A school that was rated excellent or exceptional at the most recent inspection will typically undergo an inspection every 4 years to ensure that the rating hasn't changed.