Estyn inspections are two days from this term, with no overall grade

Estyn wrote to maintained schools on Friday: from this term, core inspections last two days, not four, and there is no single overall grade on the report. Five inspection areas stay. Parents still get a letter within 10 working days. The first-wave list is with local authorities this week; Cover Wales will publish the Gwent names when Torfaen, Newport, Monmouthshire, Blaenau Gwent and Caerphilly confirm.

Unions had asked for the overall grade to go. Headteachers told us the risk is a two-day visit that still reads like a four-day one in the write-up. Estyn said reports will be shorter too.