Parents told the crucial one word they need to look out for when choosing their child's school

It's just one word but to some parents it might matter more than anything else when choosing their child's school. It's the single word that could either significantly enhance or destroy a school's reputation.

These are the grades handed out by Ofsted following inspections. Following visit by an inspector who observes all aspects of the school and takes many factors into consideration, it all eventually comes down to that one word.

Inspectors have four choices when decided their overall rating, ranging from very good to very bad, with the average ones somewhere in the middle. The grades are outstanding, good, requires improvement and inadequate.

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Most schools are either rated good or requires improvement. That's because the situation has to be either extremely good or bad to get a rating of outstanding or inadequate.

Inspectors will no doubt be aware of the reputational damage a rating of inadequate will bring to a school. Parents always want to send their kids to the best school possible, or at least a good one - not one Ofsted has essentially said is bad and the pupils aren't doing well.

The Government has now decided these one-word judgements should stay. Concerns have previously been raised by headteachers and how an inspection which only provides a snapshot can leave them left with a rating for years.

Parents will often make their minds up from that rating alone. While they may take on board the opinions of others who know the school well, they are unlikely to sift through a while Ofsted report and take any mitigating factors into account.

The Department of Education said: "There are significant benefits from having an Ofsted overall effectiveness grade. In our view, the priority is to look for ways to improve the current system rather than developing an alternative to it."

Its comments come after headteacher Ruth Perry took her own life after discovering her school was going to be rated inadequate.