[holding answer 24 February 2010]: This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert, has written to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply has been placed in the Library.
Letter from Christine Gilbert, dated 22 February 2010:
Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, for response.
Ofsted’s rating system is based on only four judgements for overall effectiveness where 1 is outstanding; 2 is good; 3 is satisfactory; and 4 is inadequate, Schools are not rated good with outstanding features. Some inspectors might use this phrase in the text of their reports; we do not hold figures for this.
Consequently, this response considers maintained schools which were judged as good for overall effectiveness at their last inspection and where at least one of the other judgements made was outstanding.
The latest period for which published figures about maintained school section 5 inspection outcomes are available is the academic year 2008/09. This answer, therefore, takes into account inspections carried out prior to 1 September 2009.
At 1 December 2009 there were 22,260 schools open and eligible for a section 5 Ofsted inspection. Of these, 21,920 had received at least one section 5 inspection. These schools, together with their latest inspection judgements, form the basis for the response.
Of the 21,920 schools, 11,033 (50%) were judged as good for overall effectiveness at the last inspection. Of these, 8,704 (79%) received at least one judgement of outstanding.
A copy of this reply has been sent to Vernon Coaker MP, Minister of State for Schools and Learners, and placed in the library of both Houses.