On January 12, 2026, Ofsted unveiled the first wave of its much-anticipated new-style report cards, marking a significant shift in how England’s schools and further education (FE) providers are evaluated. The move, which has been in the pipeline since November 2025, replaces the familiar single headline judgment with a nuanced five-point grading system across a range of individual performance areas. The change is being hailed as a bold step toward greater transparency and fairness, but it’s also stirring debate among education leaders, teachers, and policy watchers.
So, what’s different this time around? Instead of the previous four-grade system—ranging from ‘inadequate’ to ‘outstanding’—Ofsted now assesses institutions on a scale from ‘urgent improvement’ up to the rarefied air of ‘exceptional.’ The scale, covering at least 16 distinct areas for FE and a minimum of six for schools, also includes ‘needs attention,’ ‘expected standard,’ and ‘strong standard.’ Safeguarding, a non-negotiable legal requirement, remains a binary pass/fail check.
According to FE Week, System People Limited, a Carlisle-based independent training provider, stood out as the only FE provider among 19 to receive the coveted ‘exceptional’ grade for achievement in its adult learning programmes. Inspectors praised the provider for enabling learners to make “extensive” progress from their starting points, describing the impact as “transformational” for future careers. Notably, System People boasted a 74% achievement rate for 2023-24, well above the national average of 61%. The majority of its 345 learners were apprentices, with around 50 enrolled in skills bootcamps. Inspectors found that large goods vehicle (LGV) apprentices and learners were “exceptionally well” prepared, with almost all progressing into sustained employment.
Chief inspector Sir Martyn Oliver has emphasized that the ‘exceptional’ grade is reserved for “truly among the very best nationally.” He told college leaders last year, “Strong standard marks out excellent practice. Anything graded ‘exceptional’ is exactly that – truly among the very best nationally.”
The new FE report cards, as detailed by FE Week, break down grades across 16 inspection areas, including inclusion, curriculum, teaching, leadership, and governance. Each provider’s report also features a data summary, showing the number of learners and achievement rates at the time of inspection. Most providers inspected in this inaugural batch were small, with fewer than 100 learners, except for Bury Metropolitan Borough Council, which had 670 learners but received ‘needs attention’ in leadership and governance and ‘expected standard’ in inclusion.
Interestingly, none of the 19 FE providers received an ‘urgent improvement’ grade, though AKR Growth Ventures was handed ‘needs attention’ across all areas due to what Ofsted described as “underdeveloped” leadership and slow progress in English and maths achievements. Six providers received at least one ‘needs attention’ grade, and eight were recognized with at least one ‘strong standard.’ The new accountability rules from the Department for Education (DfE) mean that for the next year, intervention decisions won’t rely solely on Ofsted grades, but will instead be made on a case-by-case basis—another notable change in the regulatory landscape.
Meanwhile, the school sector saw its own share of drama and delight. As reported by Schools Week, 21 schools—12 primary and nine secondary—volunteered for early inspection under the new framework. Of the 143 individual grades awarded to these schools, only three were ‘needs attention,’ while most clustered around ‘expected standard’ (75) and ‘strong standard’ (56). Nine ‘exceptional’ grades were sprinkled across two primary schools and one secondary, reflecting both the selectiveness of the highest mark and the generally strong performance of the volunteer cohort.
One standout was Leigh Academy Halley, a secondary school and sixth-form in Greenwich, which scooped up five ‘exceptional’ grades and two ‘strong standard’ marks. Inspectors lauded the school’s “exceptionally inclusive” environment, noting that pupils “of all ages and from all backgrounds are welcomed, nurtured, challenged and supported.” Principal Ben Russell said the school “could not be more delighted,” while Simon Beamish, chief executive of Leigh Academies Trust, reflected on the journey from low confidence and behavior issues in 2018 to today’s top marks. “We reset expectations, built a calm and orderly culture, and put inclusion at the centre of every decision. We backed that up with strong teaching, strong pastoral systems, and clear accountability, day in and day out,” Beamish told Schools Week.
But the new system isn’t without its critics. St Leonard’s Church of England Primary Academy in Hastings received ‘needs attention’ for attendance and behaviour, despite positive marks for conduct. Inspectors found the school’s absence rate at 7% for 2023-24, above the national average of 5.5%, and persistent absence at 19.1% compared to the national 14.6%. Headteacher Faith Rew argued that the new grouping of attendance and behaviour can obscure a school’s strengths: “It is regrettable that under the new inspection toolkit the school’s well‑established strengths in behaviour are obscured by a ‘needs attention’ judgment relating solely to attendance.”
Other leaders echoed the sense that the new report cards, with their detailed narratives for each judgment area, are “much longer” and more complex than before. Simon Beamish wondered aloud, “I do wonder how many parents will get to the end.” Yet, the increased transparency and depth were widely welcomed. Lorraine Clarke, director of primary at Ark (whose Ark Castledown Primary Academy received an ‘exceptional’ for inclusion), said, “We believe the new report format makes it easier for parents and the wider community to understand what really matters in education, and we welcome this step forward in transparency and clarity.”
The inspection process itself has also changed. With multiple inspectors on site and a quality assurance inspector in tow, the process was described as demanding but collaborative. Headteacher Alma Begum of Shaftesbury Primary School in Forest Gate, which scored three ‘exceptional’ and four ‘strong standard’ grades, said the addition of a nominee role was “invaluable” and that inspectors “genuinely listened” and considered the school’s context at every stage.
Ofsted’s guidance makes clear that ‘expected standard’ is not a consolation prize. As Andrew Rigby, national director of education at REAch2, put it, “It really does signal that a school is doing the right things consistently and well.” Ofsted itself says ‘needs attention’ is not a “fail” but a signal for improvement before issues become larger problems, and ‘exceptional’ practice is to be shared with others to help drive up standards nationally.
The new system’s focus on detailed, area-by-area assessment means schools and FE providers now have a clearer roadmap for improvement, and parents have more information at their fingertips. With non-voluntary inspections under the new regime yet to be published, all eyes are on how these changes will play out across the country. For now, the education sector is digesting a new era of accountability—one that’s aiming to be both more rigorous and more supportive, even as it sparks lively debate.
As the dust settles on this first round, one thing’s clear: Ofsted’s new approach is reshaping the conversation about what excellence in education really means, and who gets to define it.
