New school grading system fair, says Ofsted boss

An Ofsted regional director has defended the organisation's new grading system, insisting it is "fair and transparent".

In November, Ofsted replaced its previous one or two-word judgements with a new report card system.

A poll by the Association of School and College Leaders in 2025 found almost two thirds of headteachers said the new system would be worse for their wellbeing than the previous method.

Mike Sheridan, Ofsted's East Midlands and East of England director, said there was "always going to be some stress in the system" but added school leaders were "part of the conversation" within inspections.

Appearing on BBC Lincolnshire's The Hotseat - a show where key decision-makers and officials face questions from listeners - Sheridan was quizzed about the new grading system, which was introduced following the death of Caversham headteacher Ruth Perry.

Perry took her own life in January 2023 after she received a downgraded Ofsted report from its highest rating of "outstanding" to its lowest of "inadequate" amid safeguarding concerns.

Sheridan said Perry's death was a "really difficult time both professionally and personally".

"I don't know anybody in the organisation that didn't lose sleep over the awful events," Sheridan said.

Since the incident, he said Ofsted had "reflected really carefully and deeply" about a new grading system which involved a five-point grading scale across multiple areas rather than a single-word judgment used previously.

"We think we've got the balance as right as we can," he said.

"There's always going to be some stress in the system where people are being held to account."

Sheridan said he understood inspections could be stressful for school leaders and involved an "element of trepidation" but assured the new method involved working alongside school staff.

Sheridan heard the concerns of Jo Tunnicliffe, former headteacher of North Kesteven Academy, near Lincoln.

She said inspections were an "incredibly tiring experience" for staff.

"Ofsted and the whole current school accountability system, I think they are fundamentally flawed," she said.

Tunnicliffe said she had spoken to headteachers who were undergoing an inspection under the new system.

"It would appear to be a pre-determined judgement there before the inspection even starts," she said.

"I think there's an element of they [Ofsted] see what they want to see, what they're expecting to see."

In response, Sheridan said: "We've taken quite a few steps to try to take away the pressure."

He also said Ofsted had been "careful" within the new framework to allow inspectors to separately grade the quality of teaching and the achievement of children.

"It's really important if children aren't doing as well as children in a similar circumstance elsewhere, then we should be able to say that," he added.

Sheridan also said inspectors used "case sampling" to focus and report on the support and progress for children with additional barriers to their learning. He said it was also important to recognise when schools were "doing well" by those children.

"If we're getting it right for those children, the rest falls into place," he said.

Sheridan said Ofsted inspectors regularly encouraged staff to be "part of the conversation" during inspections and to highlight areas within school which they believe may have been missed.

"We've really worked hard with this framework to make sure leaders have some agency in showing and telling their story," Sheridan said.

"We think that helps."

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