New School Report Cards: A More Comprehensive Approach to Choosing Education
Starting in September 2025, a new “report card” system for schools is set to replace the previous one-word Ofsted judgments, offering parents a more detailed and comprehensive view of educational institutions.
The north London borough of Camden is pioneering a innovative approach to school reporting, developing a digital platform designed to be user-friendly on smartphones and tablets. This new system allows parents to search and explore schools through words, pictures, and data.
Key features of the new report card include:
1. “Our School in 100 Words” – A description of the school’s values and strengths, written by the school itself
2. “Our School in 10 Photos” – Visual representation of school facilities and activities
3. Embedded Ofsted reports
4. Comprehensive statistics including:
– GCSE results
– National curriculum test scores
– Attendance data
– Approaches to learning
– Wellbeing policies
– Anti-bullying strategies
– Support for children with special educational needs
The platform standardizes information, enabling easy comparison between schools. Parents like Shabnam Eslambolchi appreciate the comprehensive approach, noting that it provides deeper insights into school communities.
Dame Christine Gilbert, former chief inspector of schools, believes the project originated from parents wanting more nuanced information about schools. The approach has already revealed interesting insights, such as one secondary school describing itself as feminist, which prompted strong reactions from parents.
Three areas in England – Camden, Sheffield, and Milton Keynes – are developing these localized report cards. The Camden approach is particularly notable for collaborating directly with schools, allowing institutions to highlight their strengths and challenges.
School leaders generally welcome the new format. Regent High School’s head, Gary Moore, appreciates moving away from “brutal” one-word judgments and creating more family-friendly information. Gospel Oak’s head teacher John Hayes sees it as a way to be more authentic while maintaining accountability.
The new system addresses various stakeholder needs. Students like those at Regent High School want to know about teacher quality, facilities, subject offerings, and school atmosphere.
A public consultation on Ofsted’s report card design is expected to begin early next year. Preliminary leaks suggest potential coded ratings across ten areas, though this has been controversial among education unions.
Camden plans to continue including Ofsted judgments in the new national report cards, ensuring a balance between school-provided information and external assessment.
This innovative approach represents a significant shift in how school information is presented, prioritizing transparency, comprehensiveness, and accessibility for parents and students in choosing educational institutions.
