School Inspection Ratings (Ofsted)
Published grades for education quality
An inspection rating is a published grade for the quality of education at a school. Ofsted inspects in England, Estyn in Wales, and the Education and Training Inspectorate in Northern Ireland. Scotland is inspected by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Education, independent since 2025. Since 10 November 2025 Ofsted has published a report card grading several areas, not one overall grade.
What This Means
The report shows a grade for each nearby school, alongside the body that issued it. You will see two vocabularies mixed together, because schools are reinspected over a cycle. Ofsted states that the new grades cannot be compared to the old ones. A school showing Good is not therefore ranked above one showing Expected standard. A grade describes one visit, and years can pass before the next. A school marked Not yet inspected is unknown, not weak. Nothing about a grade attaches to this property, and it can change before a child starts.
Score Ranges
Exceptional
Report card, from 10 November 2025Among the very best nationally in this area.
Strong standard
Report card, from 10 November 2025Excellent, consistent work in this area, beyond what is expected.
Expected standard
Report card, from 10 November 2025Everything a school should be doing in this area. The starting point, not a criticism.
Needs attention
Report card, from 10 November 2025Some issues in this area that the school has to address.
Urgent improvement
Report card, from 10 November 2025Serious concerns in this area, calling for immediate action.
Outstanding
Single judgement, before 10 November 2025The old top grade, covering the whole school at one visit.
Good
Single judgement, before 10 November 2025The old second grade, held by most schools at the time.
Requires improvement
Single judgement, before 10 November 2025The old third grade, below the standard Ofsted then expected.
Inadequate
Single judgement, before 10 November 2025The old bottom grade, covering serious weakness or failure.
Practical Advice
- Read each school's full report card on Ofsted's website before relying on the grade alone.
- Check the inspection date on each school's report before comparing its grade with a school inspected more recently.
- Ask the school office when its next inspection is due if its current grade predates November 2025.
- Ask the headteacher at an open day what has changed since the last inspection.
Key Points
- By November 2022, 88 per cent of England's schools were rated good or outstanding. The old grade separated very few schools from each other.
- Ofsted exempted outstanding schools from routine inspection between 2012 and 2020. When those schools were finally reinspected, 17 per cent stayed outstanding, 62 per cent dropped to good and 21 per cent went lower.
Additional Information
Estyn has published no summative grade since 2022, so a Welsh school shows findings and no grade word. Scotland uses a six-point scale, from Excellent down to Unsatisfactory. The linked guidance covers Ofsted in England only.