Ofsted's new six-category school inspection system upheld by High Court despite headteachers' legal challenge.

The National Association of Head Teachers and head teacher Barbara Middleton lost a High Court challenge against Ofsted’s new report card inspection framework, which replaces single-word ratings with a detailed six-category grading system. The court ruled that Ofsted’s consultation was lawful and its decision reasonable, finding no "arguable error" despite concerns over staff wellbeing following head teacher Ruth Perry’s death. The new system, set to launch November 10, was paused since September to allow schools time to prepare. While a YouGov poll shows most parents favor the change, an independent report highlights ongoing stress among school leaders, and unions continue to advocate for narrative-only evaluations. The claimants were ordered to pay £40,000 in legal costs.