From Peter Shreeve, National Education Union assistant IW district secretary:
Who says: “No more outstanding schools left”?
Malcolm Mime’s ‘School success stories earn praise from me’ (CP 07-02-20), mentions there are no more Ofsted ‘outstanding’ schools left and having read Ofsted reports realises, that things are heading in the right direction.
Ofsted’s handbook states: “Outstanding is a challenging and exacting judgement. In order to reach this standard, inspectors will determine whether the school meets all the criteria for ‘good’ under that judgment, and does so securely and consistently.”
Schools need to meet this Ofsted definition — the key word being ‘all’  But can schools be outstanding by any other definition?
What if everyone is happy? Systems are in place and work. Staff are supported by governors, parents and the local authority. Pupils are achieving, but not necessarily at the statistically expected measure. 
Isn’t this an outstanding school in terms of student and staff fulfilment?
The chief Ofsted inspector agrees. She said at her recent annual report launch, exam grades are “hollow”, if pupils have not received a well-rounded education.
The latest research by ‘More than a Score’ indicates parents (63 per cent) believe pupils’ happiness in primary schools should be used. 77 per cent of parents are swayed by caring teachers, who inspire learning in children. Surf the Mumsnet website and you find much agreement.
Although we don’t want or need complacency in a good school, it would be difficult for a school to publicly downplay Ofsted and say: “We don’t obsess about academic results. We respond to children. We want them to progress at a level, of which they are capable. We want them to be happy and fulfilled.”