The Sheffield school and nurseries rated 'Inadequate' by Ofsted - only to make a comeback within six months

More than a few Sheffield schools and nurseries this year have been dealt the harshest possible criticism by Ofsted... only to be back in good graces within six months.

When the education watchdog brands a site as 'Inadequate', it means they must be revisited by inspectors within six months.

It must feel like whiplash for the Sheffield schools that lose their long-standing 'Good' ratings and are branded 'inadequate' for six months, then are upgraded to 'Good' again half a year later.

Sheffield examples of this happening in 2023 alone include:

King Edward VII School - Good to Inadequate to Good again

The tug-of-war with Ofsted over the rating of King Edward VII School was one of the biggest education stories in Sheffield in the past year. The school was dealt an 'inadequate' report in January and the Department for Education swore to turn it into an academy as a result. Following multiple protests by parents, Ofsted revisited the school in June - and revised their rating to 'Good' in all areas, saying "robust action" had been taken. The academisation has now been scrapped and the issue put to bed in time for the new school year.

Maisie Days Nursery - Good to Inadequate to Requires Improvement

Maisie Days Ltd - trading as 'The Nursery', in Lodge Lane, Aston - was dropped from a long-standing ‘Good’ grading down into the lowest rating possible and placed in special measures in December 2022. In a statement, the nursery's management called the report "harsh and unjust". Less than six months later, it was revisited and upgraded to 'requires improvement'.

Just For Kidz - Good to Inadequate to Good again

Just For Kidz, in Mosborough, was harshly criticised in February when inspectors found fault in nearly every aspect of the preschool, from safeguarding to education, to noting children were "unkind to each other". This week (August 18), and just six months after the previous report, inspectors published their new assessment that Just For Kidz was Good in all areas, pointing to a "newly appointed manager [with] a clear vision for the nursery.

Bole Hill Nursery - Good to Inadequate to Good again

Bole Hill Nursery was left reeling in January when inspectors branded it 'Inadequate' in all areas, criticising seemingly every aspect of the daycare and stripping it of its previous 'Good' rating. Parents rallied behind the nursery and decried it as "couldn't be further from the truth", and manager Nicola Moore called the grading "unfair".

Then, six months later in June, a new report lifted it back up to Good in all areas and said staff had "worked hard to address the actions set at the last inspection". Ms Moore thanked parents for "believing in us through these very difficult six months."

Incidents like these became heavily scrutinised this year following the death of Berkshire headteacher Ruth Perry, who sadly took her life after her school was graded 'Inadequate' in January this year after "serious safeguarding concerns" were found. In the next visit in July, the school was rated 'Good'. Ofsted later said the way the school inspection was conducted did not contribute to her death.

It contributed to a rethink on how the watchdog conducts its visits. Revisits are now a higher priority.

To date, failures in safeguarding are considered a 'limiting judgement', meaning mistakes here drop the entire school down to 'Inadequate', which also can lead to compulsory academisation orders. Now, these orders can be retracted if the school addresses their safeguarding issues by the time of the revisit.

Far more Sheffield schools and nurseries this year, however, have been rated 'Good' or better than those branded 'Requires improvement' or 'Inadequate'.