30 North East schools have their Ofsted ratings downgraded

Nationally, over 80 per cent of the schools that were previously rated outstanding have had their ratings downgraded, prompting criticism of the way that Ofsted inspections had been scheduled. 

Across the region, 30 schools that had previously been rated outstanding have been downgraded to good or requiring improvement.  

For many schools, this is the first time that they have faced Ofsted inspections in years, due to a clause in Section 5 of the Education Act, which exempted outstanding schools from routine inspection unless specific concerns had been raised.

Read more: The North East schools named best in The Sunday Times Top School list

This rule, enacted by the Department for Education in 2012, was lifted in 2020, though some schools had not been investigated for 15 years. Since then, the education watchdog has inspected 371 of the affected schools, with over 80 per cent of them losing their outstanding status. 

Originally, outstanding primary and secondary schools were exempt from routine inspection to free high-performing state schools from the burden of inspection, but many schools faltered without this constructive challenge and guidance.

Ofsted has said that 80 per cent of outstanding schools it had revisited in the last year had been downgraded. The majority had been downgraded to good, though 17 per cent were told they needed improvement, and four per cent were inadequate. 

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Ofsted’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman, said: "The exemption was a policy founded on the hope that high standards, once achieved, would never drop, and that freedom from inspection might drive them even higher. These outcomes show that removing a school from scrutiny does not make it better."

The Department of Education said that today, 87 per cent of schools are rated as good or outstanding, up from 68 per cent in 2010. 

Here are the North East schools that Ofsted has downgraded: 

• Darlington: St Augustine's RC Primary School, DL3 7HP, rating changed to Requires Improvement, not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act. 
• Darlington: High Coniscliffe CofE Primary School, DL2 2LL, rating changed to Good, not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act. 
• Durham: St Godric's Catholic Primary School, Durham, DH1 5LZ, rating changed to Good, not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act. 
• Durham: St Margaret's Church of England Primary School, DH1 4QB, rating changed to Good, previously rated as Outstanding. 
• Durham: Shincliffe CofE (Controlled) Primary School, DH1 2PN, rating changed to Good, previoulsy rated Outstanding. 
• Durham: St Michael's Catholic Primary School, Esh Village, DH7 9QY, rating changed to Good, not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act.
• Durham: Coxhoe Primary School, DH6 4EJ, rating changed to Good, not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act.
• Durham: Esh CofE (Aided) Primary School, DH7 9QR, rating changed to Good, not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act.
• Gateshead: Fellside Community Primary School, NE16 5AY, rating changed to Good, previously Outstanding. 
• Gateshead: St Aidan's Church of England Primary School, NE8 2HQ, rating changed to Good, previously Outstanding. 
• Gateshead: Brandling Primary School, NE10 0JB, rating changed to Requires Improvement, previously Outstanding. 
• Gateshead: Kells Lane Primary School, NE9 5HX, rating changed to Good, previously Outstanding.
• Gateshead: Whickham Parochial Church of England Primary School, NE16 5QW, rating changed to Good, previously Outstanding. 
• Newcastle upon Tyne: Gosforth Academy, NE3 2JH, rating changed to Good, not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act.
• North Tyneside: Marine Park First School, NE26 1LT, rating changed to Good, previously rated Outstanding. 
• North Tyneside: Langley First School, NE25 9DL, rating changed to Good, previously rated Outstanding. 
• North Tyneside: Southridge First School, NE25 9UD, rating changed to Good, previously Outstanding. 
• Northumberland: Beaufront First School, NE46 4LY, rating changed to Good, previously Outstanding.
• Northumberland: The Sele First School, NE46 3QZ, rating changed to Good, previously rated Outstanding. 
• Redcar and Cleveland: Whale Hill Primary School, TS6 8AD, rating changed to Good, not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 
• Redcar and Cleveland: Galley Hill Primary School, TS14 8DW, rating changed to Good, not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 
• South Tyneside: West Boldon Primary School, NE36 0HX, rating changed to Good, previously rated Outstanding. 
• South Tyneside: Harton Academy, NE34 6DL, rating changed to Requires Improvement, not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 
• South Tyneside: East Boldon Infants' School, NE36 0SW, rating changed to Good, previously rated Outstanding. 
• Stockton-on-Tees: St Therese of Lisieux Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Catholic Academy, TS17 0QP, rating changed to Good, not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 
• Stockton-on-Tees: Crooksbarn Primary School, TS20 1SN, rating changed to Requires Improvement, not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 
• Stockton-on-Tees: Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Catholic Academy, TS23 2BS, rating changed to Requires Improvement, not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 
• Sunderland: St Michael's Catholic Primary School, DH5 8NF, rating changed to Good, not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 
• Sunderland: Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, DH4 7JZ, rating changed to Requires Improvement, not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 
• Sunderland: Hill View Infant Academy, SR2 9JJ, rating changed to Good,  not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 

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