Medway Labour and Co-operative Group support Shadow Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson’s assessment that Ofsted’s current system of ratings “is high stakes for staff but low information for parents” because it fails to convey important details about a school’s strengths and weaknesses.

Therefore they back her plans that would see school ratings such as outstanding and inadequate scrapped in England under a Labour government and replaced with a “report card” aimed at helping parents.

Cllr Clive Johnson, Medway Labour and Co-operative Group Shadow Cabinet Member for Children and Young People said:

‘Only Labour put young people first.  Following years of underinvestment in schools, a teacher and support staff recruitment and retention crisis and inept management by the government of schools during the pandemic, what we need from Ofsted is a system that is less punitive and more informative for parents and carers and for the community.  The current inspection regime is too simplistic.  Ofsted inspections need to support schools and families to achieve the best outcomes for our young people in Medway.’

Bridget Phillipson, Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary said:

“The next Labour government will bring a wind of change to our education system… and drive forward reform of education and of childcare as part of our mission to break down barriers to opportunity…. I am determined that under Labour the focus will again return to how we deliver a better future for every child, through high and rising standards in every school.  I will make no apology for being demanding for our children, and I want parents to be part of that wind of change through our classrooms: partners in the push for better.”