Pepe Di’Iasio, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, comments on secondary school offer day.
“We know that national offer day is an exciting but also anxious time for many families. While most children will receive a place at their first choice school, we understand that some families will be disappointed. The demand for secondary school places has been rising for a number of years and is expected to increase again this year. However, the impact varies across different areas, with factors like new housing developments influencing local pressures.
“Highly sought-after schools – often in more affluent areas with strong Ofsted ratings – face intense demand, while others struggle with lower pupil numbers, creating financial challenges. We must do more to support all schools, ensuring they can thrive and provide a great education for all children. That means securing improvement where it’s needed and moving beyond a system that fuels an ‘arms race’ over Ofsted ratings. Unfortunately, the current proposals to reform Ofsted inspections will not help address these challenges – in fact, they risk making things even harder.”