said it was \u201creally important that we really stop people from doing that\u201d.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nHe added: \u201cYou can\u2019t map \u2018exceptional\u2019 to \u2018outstanding\u2019. You can\u2019t map \u2018strong\u2019 to \u2018good\u2019. You can\u2019t map \u2018expected standard\u2019 to \u2018requires improvement\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How have grades changed?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n Overall effectiveness judgments were scrapped by Ofsted in September 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At that time, 91 per cent of all schools had been judged \u2018good\u2019 or \u2018outstanding\u2019 at their most recent inspection. Eight per cent were rated \u2018requires improvement\u2019, and 2 per cent \u2018inadequate\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
New data shows that just 17 per cent of grades awarded since Ofsted\u2019s new framework was introduced have been in the two highest brackets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Report cards for 246 school inspections had been published, as of February 28, with 1,684 total grades across the eight judgment areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of those, 250 (15 per cent) were \u2018strong standard\u2019 and just 36 (2 per cent) \u2018exceptional\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Meanwhile 925 (55 per cent) were \u2018expected standard\u2019, while 179 (11 per cent) were \u2018needs attention\u2019 and 0.9 per cent (15) \u2018urgent improvement\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018More exacting standards\u2019<\/h3>\n\n\n\n Union leaders have also hit back at Oliver after he appeared to suggest critics of the new framework want to \u201clower the bar\u201d on expectations for schools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Leaders have repeatedly criticised the way Ofsted is comparing schools against national achievement and attendance averages, saying it could penalise schools with higher levels of poverty and special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking at the conference, Oliver will stress that thousands of schools in challenging contexts are \u201cbucking the odds \u2026 to give children a life-changing education\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Where disadvantaged and vulnerable children \u201care not making the strides that they should\u201d, Ofsted \u201ccan never downplay the disappointing outcomes\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe will never acquiesce to the quiet curse of low expectations that would see Ofsted prioritise context over outcomes for the most disadvantaged and vulnerable children.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He will acknowledge that \u201cit is harder for schools working in challenging communities\u201d, adding that starting points and \u201cgreat work\u201d must be considered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But he will accuse critics of wanting Ofsted \u201cto lower the bar\u201d, saying this \u201cstems from a deep empathy with the professionals working in the most challenging contexts\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018No leader has low expectations\u2019<\/h3>\n\n\n\n Union leaders roundly rejected the suggestion leaders have \u201clow expectations\u201d for children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe have seen the rhetoric of low expectations repeated time and time again, and yet we are not clear where these are supposed to originate from,\u201d Whiteman said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
ASCL general secretary Pepe Di\u2019Iasio added: \u201cNo school leader has low expectations of their pupils.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He stressed that children in disadvantaged communities \u201coften face extremely difficult circumstances in their lives\u201d which can affect school outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOfsted does need to recognise this reality, otherwise its inspection regime effectively penalises these schools,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In his speech, Oliver will commit to ensuring that report cards \u201crecognise where schools deliver against the odds. I will ensure context is seen as a core part of the assessment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ofsted has shared extracts from Oliver\u2019s speech, which is due to take place at 10.30am, but not its full contents.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Martyn Oliver to claim pattern of gradings in new inspections shows watchdog is ‘raising standards’<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":314902,"featured_media":243165,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[25],"post-theme":[2378],"class_list":["post-243177","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-ofsted","post-theme-ofsted"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t