From November  2025, Ofsted is scrapping its infamous one‑word school ratings — “Outstanding,” “Good,” “Requires Improvement,” “Inadequate” — and replacing them with detailed, multi‑metric “report cards.”

Under the new system, schools will be assessed across six core areas ­— including curriculum & teaching, achievement, attendance & behaviour, personal development & wellbeing, inclusion, and leadership/governance.  Each category will carry a grade on a five‑point scale: Urgent Improvement, Needs Attention, Expected Standard, Strong Standard, and Exceptional.  Safeguarding will be judged separately as “met” or “not met.”

Schools will also receive narrative feedback — giving parents and carers a more nuanced, context‑rich picture of a school’s strengths and weaknesses, rather than a simple label. Supporters say the change brings transparency, helping parents make informed decisions and spot where schools may need improvements.

Critics, though — including many headteachers and unions — argue the new system risks being overly complicated, potentially still stressful for schools, and possibly failing to fix deeper issues with inspections.

Whether the new “report card” model will truly improve school accountability — or simply repackage the old system — remains to be seen as the first results roll out.

For relocating families, the simple reliance on the one-word OFSTED rating is coming to an end.

Click here to see a helpful preview from OFSTED.