More than four in five ‘outstanding’ schools lose top grade after reinspection

Figures should 'set alarm bells ringing' as some schools not inspected for more than decade

Ofsted chief inspector Amanda Spielman (PA)

Only one in six “outstanding” schools have kept their top grade after a reinspection from Ofsted.

The chief inspector has called on the government to remove a policy which exempts schools rated “outstanding” from routine inspection, amid concerns parents lack confidence in the grades.

It comes after figures from the watchdog show that 84 per cent of “outstanding” primary and secondary schools inspected this academic year were downgraded after Ofsted inspectors returned.

Hundreds of schools in England have not been inspected for at least 10 years under the current system – which Ofsted wants overhauled to ensure parents get an accurate picture of standards.

Official statistics show only 16 per cent of the 305 outstanding primary and secondary schools inspected between September last year and March retained their top Ofsted rating.

Nearly a third (30 per cent) of previously outstanding schools were not rated as good by inspectors.

Most of the inspections were made if the school’s performance appeared to be declining – but Ofsted can also revisit exempt outstanding schools following safeguarding concerns or complaints.

Amanda Spielman, the chief inspector of Ofsted, warned the figures should “set alarm bells ringing” especially as a number of schools have not been inspected for more than a decade.

Ofsted has increased the number of inspections in outstanding schools this year amid concerns that some schools have been exempt for so long that parents no longer have confidence in the top grade.

Ms Spielman said: “The fact that outstanding schools are largely exempt from inspection leaves us with real gaps in our knowledge about the quality of education and safeguarding in these schools.

“Some of them have not been inspected for over a decade, and when our inspectors go back in, they sometimes find standards have significantly declined.”

The chief inspector is calling on the government to lift the exemption to ensure the outstanding grade is “properly meaningful and a genuine beacon of excellence”.

Nick Gibb, schools standards minister, said Ofsted’s statistics reflect improvements to the school system over the past nine years.

He said: “Parents can be assured that the likelihood of having a good or outstanding school on their doorstep has been hugely increased, with almost nine in 10 schools rated good or outstanding compared to just seen in 10 schools in 2010.

“Better schools, together with our new world-class curriculum and qualifications, and reforms to technical education including improved apprenticeships, mean that parents and pupils can feel more confident than ever that education standards in this country are meeting their expectations.”