Ofsted has changed the way it reports on school inspections. The aim is to give parents a clearer and fairer picture of how a school is doing, without relying on a single headline judgement.
In the past, schools were given one overall grade such as Outstanding or Good. These single‑word judgements are no longer used. Instead, Ofsted now produces a report card that looks at several important areas of school life separately.
Each area is graded using a five‑point scale, and inspectors explain their judgements in plain language so parents can understand a school’s strengths and areas for development.
Here is what each of the new grades means, in simple terms:
This is the highest and rarest grade in the new Ofsted framework. It is awarded to only a very small percentage of schools nationally.
An Exceptional judgement is reserved for schools that demonstrate sustained excellence over time, not just recent improvements. Practice must be consistently outstanding, deeply embedded, and having a transformational impact on pupils’ experiences and outcomes, including those who are disadvantaged or need additional support.
Ofsted has been clear that most schools will not receive this grade, even those providing a very strong or high‑quality education. This is deliberate: the Exceptional grade is intended to recognise truly extraordinary provision, rather than being a benchmark that schools are expected to reach.
This shows that practice is consistently strong and well‑embedded. Pupils benefit from high‑quality teaching, care and leadership, and the school is performing above what is normally expected.
This means the school is doing what it should. It is meeting national expectations and statutory requirements, and pupils are receiving a good, secure education. Most schools are expected to be judged at this level or above.
This grade means there are some weaknesses that the school needs to address. While many things may be working well, improvement is needed to make sure all pupils are supported as they should be. Ofsted expects schools to act quickly on these areas.
This is used when there are serious concerns in an area of the school’s work. It means significant action is needed to improve outcomes for pupils, and Ofsted will follow up more closely.
Schools are now inspected across six main areas:
Leadership and governance
Curriculum and teaching
Achievement
Attendance and behaviour
Personal development and wellbeing
Inclusion
Early Years
Safeguarding is judged separately from the five grades. Schools are simply told whether safeguarding is “met” or “not met”. This reflects whether the school is doing everything required to keep children safe.
Ofsted has designed the new system with parents in mind. Instead of a single label, the report card helps parents see:
What the school does well
Where it is improving
What it is like to be a pupil at the school
National parent surveys showed that most parents find the new report cards easier to understand and more informative than the old system.