Ofsted ‘single-word judgements’ should be scrapped for inspections for other services as well as schools, a leading Wokingham Borough Councillor has said.

This comes after the watchdog announced they would no longer use the ratings, which range from Outstanding to Inadequate, with immediate effect.

The decision follows the tragic death of Ruth Perry, head teacher at Caversham Primary School, who took her own life in January 2023 after receiving an ‘inadequate’ rating from Ofsted.

An inquest ruled that the inspection, which ‘lacked fairness, respect and sensitivity’ contributed to her death.

As well as inspecting schools, Ofsted inspects other provisions for children, including nurseries and childminders, as well as local authorities’ children’s services.

Councillor Prue Bray, executive member for children’s services, told the News that she was ‘very pleased’ to see that the ‘single-word judgements’ of schools had been scrapped.

Cllr Bray continued: “Inspection is necessary to ensure we don’t have services that are failing children.

“But if single word judgements are not a fair way to rate schools, then they are not a fair way to rate any other services either.”

The Department of Education has said that they are ‘committed to removing headline grades for other settings inspected by Ofsted’, including independent schools, early year settings, colleges, children’s social care providers and initial teacher training.

The most recent inspection of Wokingham Borough Council’s children’s services found four out of the five criteria to require improvement to be good, while the ‘experience and progress of children in care’ was rated as good.

Ofsted will continue to inspect schools along the same standards but will now only issue gradings related to individual aspects of a school’s performance.

The majority of schools in the Wokingham Borough have been ranked as either Good or Outstanding.

Parents will be able to view a ‘report card’ describing what inspectors have found at a school as part of the new system – but this will not be rolled out until September 2025.

This academic year, parents will see grades across the existing subcategories of quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development and leadership and management.

The decision from Ofsted has been widely appraised by Mrs Perry’s family members, politicians, parents and school leaders alike.

Ofsted research found fewer than four in 10 parents, and only 29 per cent of teachers, supported one-word judgements.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the new system will provide a ‘richer picture’ of what schools do well, and where it requires improvement.