Statement from Parentkind on Ofsted report cards:

03 February 2025

Today Ofsted has shown it is listening to parents. 9 in 10 parents (89%) say parental engagement is critical so a school’s success and want it to be a part of the inspection process for schools.

Teachers do an incredibly hard job and it is important to get these changes right, in a way that works for schools as well as parents, but above all children. 

There will be many voices in the debate over the future direction of school inspection but it is important the voice of parents isn’t drowned out. We welcome these changes and will be carefully reviewing these proposals to see what more can be done to give parents a strong voice. 

As one of the UK’s largest federated charities, Parentkind has supported parents and schools to build strong and supportive school communities for almost 70 years. Through our network of more than 23,500 schools, Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) and Parent Councils, we know that an effective partnership between school and home is a cornerstone of the most successful of schools, enhances pupil well-being, and can add the equivalent impact of up to three years of education.

Schools increasingly face issues with attendance, behaviour, and the mental health and well-being of their pupils. Many school leaders have raised concerns relating to the behaviour of parents and a broken social contract between home and school. The truth is that overwhelmed schools and overwhelmed parents have the perception that the other is not delivering on what is expected of them. Years of evidence shows that getting parental engagement right is vital to reducing these challenges which is why we welcome Ofsted making parental engagement an important part of the process for inspecting schools. 

Ofsted’s work on a new Report Card’ for schools recognises the need for school leaders to focus on building sustainable, long-term partnerships with parents, as well as the role of parents in helping improve behaviour and attitudes to learning, attendance, and personal development and well-being. Getting this right will deliver significant benefits for schools and children.

Jason Elsom, Chief Executive, Parentkind