Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson MP on Ofsted changes

Today on Good Morning Britain, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson MP discussed the government’s decision to scrap single-word Ofsted ratings…

The changes sees the single-word ranking changed with the introduction of new ‘report cards’ for schools.

Bridget told hosts Ed Balls and Susanna Reid: “This is about how we drive up standards within our schools and make reform that works more effectively. Accountability is incredibly important to make sure that children are getting a brilliant education but something that we’ve got right now, that one or two word judgement, doesn’t capture a school’s strengths but it also doesn’t properly capture or shine enough of a light on those areas for improvement.

“I think it’s too low information for parents. I think parents can cope with more than one word, but it is too high stakes for staff as a part of that, and the new system that we will work with Ofsted to introduce from next September, will be a report card that better identifies areas for improvement and development.”

She added: “I won’t hesitate to intervene in schools that are failing, that are not delivering the education that our children deserve, because this government is focused on making sure that we have high and rising standards for all of our children – because they only get one chance when they’re at school. The last government, they took their eye off the ball, and we saw too many schools not receiving the support that they need in order to make change happen.”

Good Morning Britain weekdays from 6am on ITV1, ITVX, STV & STV Player