Ofsted ‘actively penalising’ schools more inclusive to Send pupils, headteachers’ union warns

A headteachers’ union has warned that Ofsted’s new report card system “actively penalizes” schools that are more inclusive of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (Send).

Analysis of recent Ofsted inspections by the NAHT headteachers’ union found that one in five schools (20%) were rated as having above-average school pupils “requiring attention” (the second lowest rating) for attendance and behaviour.

NAHT noted that this contrasted with only one (9%) of the schools where fewer Send students received the same assessment.

The findings emerged after the government announced sweeping reforms to the Send system aimed at greater inclusivity in schools.

NAHT general secretary Paul Whiteman said the findings should “ring serious alarm bells” over the Government’s ambition to reach more pupils in mainstream schools with Send to Learn.

The union’s analysis of 662 Ofsted reports also found that a third of schools with above-average numbers of pupils eligible for free school meals received a “requires attention” rating in the achievement section of the report card, compared to less than a fifth (18%) of schools with below-average numbers of pupils eligible for free school meals.

Additionally, the NAHT said almost one in four schools (23%) with above-average pupil eligibility for free school meals were rated “requiring attention” for attendance and behaviour, compared to one in 10 schools (10%) with below-average eligibility.

Mr Whiteman said: “There have long been well-founded concerns that successive Ofsted frameworks have penalized schools serving communities experiencing higher levels of deprivation. Rather than solving this problem, the new framework appears to have exacerbated it.”

He added that schools serving the poorest communities face an “uphill challenge.”

“There is no lack of ambition on the part of school leaders; they all want every pupil and student to achieve the best outcomes they can. But we must also recognize that this is a much bigger challenge for some schools than for others because of the context,” Mr Whiteman said.

“Recognizing the challenges and obstacles to pupils’ progress is about engaging with their lived reality. This does not indicate any ‘low-expectation bigotry’, as Ofsted’s HM Chief Inspector has claimed.”

“Under Ofsted’s system, schools can do an incredible job of helping pupils improve from a poor starting point, as they face all kinds of difficulties in their lives, but still fail if their overall test scores are below the national average. “It’s hard to imagine anything more demoralizing for leaders and teachers.

“These lower grades are not only unfair to schools operating in poorer areas, they also actively penalize schools that are more inclusive of students from Send. They also risk preventing leaders and teachers from going to work in the schools that need them most.”

“This should ring serious alarm bells in terms of the Government’s stated White Paper target to get more pupils educated in mainstream schools through Send.”

The Press Association understands that Ofsted will publish its own data on the first set of inspections under the new framework next month.

Major Amanda Hopgood, chair of the Local Government Association’s children, young people and families committee, said it was vital that Send children who needed support received it in mainstream schools if the Government’s reforms were to be successful.

“Ofsted’s inspection framework must focus more on inclusive practice and whether an individual school meets the needs of the community it serves when inspected,” he added.

The new Ofsted report cards have been in force since November 2025. The old one-word resolutions were rescinded following the death of school principal Ruth Perry.

According to report cards, schools receive one out of five grades in various subjects. Schools cannot receive overall grades.

Unions have warned that the new system could harm the mental health of school staff. NAHT attempted to launch a legal challenge against the new system but this attempt was rejected in the High Court.

Ofsted chief inspector Sir Martyn Oliver has previously said Ofsted will recognize where a school is performing well despite contextual challenges but will not downplay “disappointing results”.

NAHT members will debate a motion at the union’s annual conference in Belfast calling on leaders to lobby the Government to review schools’ performance measures to ensure they support the participation of Send children.

They will also debate the second motion, which states that changes to the Ofsted inspection system have not addressed “long-standing concerns”. This motion calls on union management to explore “legal, industrial and campaign” strategies to challenge the new system.

Ofsted has been approached for comment.