Download our side-by-side comparison of Ofsted grade descriptors
It sets out Ofsted grade descriptors side by side so you can compare them easily. These are the descriptors used for each area of judgement in graded school inspections.
Ofsted updated its School Inspection Handbook for September 2024, which includes the removal of the overall effectiveness judgement and some minor changes to grade descriptors.
We’ve updated our comparison document to reflect this – we've marked the additions in red (bold) in our download to make it easier for you to see the changes.
Areas of judgement used for inspection
The areas of judgement used for inspection are:
- Quality of education
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Personal development
- Leadership and management
- The effectiveness of early years provision (where applicable)
- The effectiveness of sixth form programmes (where applicable)
The evaluation schedule isn't exhaustive and doesn't replace the professional judgement of inspectors Inspectors interpret grade