England's school inspection regime has undergone its most significant transformation in years, with a new 'report card' system now in full effect. The changes, which began at the start of January 2026, mark the end of Ofsted's controversial one-word overall judgments.
What Has Changed in Ofsted Inspections?
The education watchdog has officially scrapped the previous grading labels of outstanding, good, requires improvement, or inadequate. This follows sustained criticism from headteachers who argued the single phrase could be unjust, fail to capture a school's full picture, and damage reputations instantly.
Under the reformed process, schools are now assessed across seven distinct areas. For each category, they receive one of five ratings: exceptional, strong standard, expected standard, needs attention, or urgent improvement.
The New Inspection Categories
Inspectors will now evaluate schools on a detailed report card covering the following pillars:
- Achievement
- Attendance and behaviour
- Curriculum and teaching
- Inclusion
- Leadership and governance
- Personal development and wellbeing
- Post-16 provision or early years
This approach is designed to provide a more nuanced and fairer representation of a school's performance. It aims to clearly identify the very best institutions, which can now be rated 'exceptional' in all areas, and those in most serious need of help, which may get 'urgent improvement' across the board.
First West Midlands Schools Receive New Ratings
The first batch of reports under this new framework has now been published. In the West Midlands, three schools are among the first to receive their detailed report cards.
Smestow Academy in Wolverhampton was graded with a 'strong standard' in two areas and an 'expected standard' in three of the assessed categories.
Highters Heath Community School in Kings Heath, Birmingham achieved a 'strong standard' in one area, with the remaining six areas meeting the 'expected standard'.
Moat Farm Infant School in Oldbury also received one 'strong standard' rating, with six areas judged to be at the 'expected standard'.
Implications for Parents and Schools
The shift to a report card system offers parents a far more detailed insight into a school's strengths and potential weaknesses. Instead of relying on a simplistic label, families can see how an institution performs on specific aspects like teaching quality, pupil wellbeing, and leadership.
For school leaders, the change reduces the high-stakes pressure of a single overarching grade, allowing for a more constructive and transparent dialogue about improvement. The system intends to foster a clearer path for development while still holding schools accountable across all key operational and educational domains.
