Overall effectiveness grades will be ditched from FE and skills inspections in September, one year after the “low information, high stakes” Ofsted judgments were axed for schools. A senior inspector told the Association of Employment and Learning Providers autumn conference this week the watchdog needed the extra time because “FE is a little more complicated”. Paul Joyce, Ofsted’s deputy director for FE and skills, told delegates: “We are part of the accountability system, so our actions need to take account of the whole system. “You will know, contract management and all sorts of other decisions DfE make are based on that grade. So we can’t lose the grade overnight. Our intention is it will go from September 2025.” Several private providers have faced contract termination by the Education and Skills Funding Agency in the last year following ‘inadequate’ Ofsted inspections, such as Derby Skillbuild and Salford and Trafford Engineering Group Training Association Ltd. “[An inspection] matters to you, particularly to providers in this room, because it may well be your business and your livelihood, and the consequences of a poor inspection might be very, very significant,” Joyce said. “There isn’t an inspector that doesn’t know that.” Joyce also alluded to a consultation in the new year taking forward Ofsted’s Big Listen reform proposals, such as new tailored inspection frameworks and report cards. Longer notice periods for inspections could be part of those reforms, he hinted. The deputy director said: “You wanted longer notice periods for providers, and we’ve listened. We’ve heard that, and we’ll respond in due course.” The Big Listen was launched in March and sought feedback on inspection reform following the death of headteacher Ruth Perry. Joyce confirmed that Ofsted will be commencing a formal consultation with the sector early next year to examine its proposals “properly”.