Ofsted has hit back at claims it could downgrade schools for taking on too many middle-class children as part of a radical change in qualifications.

The plans were reportedly being discussed with senior Ofsted officials and were drawn up by Professor Lee Elliot Major of the University of Exeter, an expert in social mobility.

However, last night an Ofsted spokesperson disputed these reports, insisting; ‘This story is false. Ofsted does not consider admissions during school inspections and we have no plans to do so in the future. The focus of our inspections is the quality of education provided to pupils.

However, despite Ofsted’s denials, the debate around such a change in grades continues, with Professor Major saying there is nothing to stop the sought-after schools from admitting as many middle-class pupils as possible, and he feels that The plans will attempt to “even out the inequalities on the playing field.”

talking to The Sunday TelegraphProfessor Major said: ‘All too often what happens is that the schools we penalize are the ones serving the most challenging communities.

Under Ofsted’s new grading system, schools will have to accept their “fair share” of pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds (file photo)

The plans are reportedly being discussed with senior Ofsted officials and were drawn up by Professor Lee Elliot Major of the University of Exeter (file photo).

‘It’s not about simplification, but about improving standards for everyone.

“If the learning of children from the most disadvantaged sectors is improved, the learning of all children is improved.”

Ofsted would also grade first-time pupils’ attendance under the supposed new plans.

Single-word ratings will be replaced by a scorecard containing ten separate ratings based on “key areas.”

Attendance could be one of these new performance qualifications, as well as how well schools instil British values ​​and prepare children for the outside world.

Other key areas could include the content of the school’s curriculum and the quality of teaching.

The Labor Party announced in September that it would scrap Ofsted’s one-word sentences with immediate effect following the tragic death of Ruth Perry.

The headteacher took her own life after an inspection downgraded the rating of her primary school in Caversham, Reading, from “outstanding” to “inadequate” and a coroner concluded it had contributed to her death.

Ruth Perry, 53, was headteacher at Caversham Primary School in Reading, Berkshire, and took her own life before a negative Ofsted inspection of the school was published.

Rachel Reeves confirmed that she would force private schools to charge VAT on fees from the new year

From the new year, fee-paying schools will no longer be exempt from the tax and will not get any business rate reduction, as the Government looks to fund an extra 6,500 teachers for state schools.

Ofsted previously gave one of four main ratings to the schools it inspects: ‘outstanding’, ‘good’, ‘requires improvement’ and ‘inadequate’.

It comes after the announcement in last Wednesday’s autumn budget that Chancellor Rachel Reeves will remove the VAT exemption for private schools.

The government’s own economic watchdog said the move will send 35,000 more children into state education.

Posh schools such as Eton, Winchester and Charterhouse, as well as countless smaller institutions, will lose the exemption from January.

They will also lose business rates relief from April as Labor uses schools to fund 6,5000 new teaching jobs in the state sector.

The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) forecast that the number of students in fee-paying schools would fall by 35,000, driven mainly by fewer pupils enrolling rather than current students withdrawn by struggling parents.

He said the cost of getting these children into state schools was £300 million. He predicted the VAT attack would add £1.7bn a year to the Treasury coffers by the end of Parliament.

Critics of the plan have argued that the change is coming too quickly and could force some schools to close when parents withdraw their children due to higher fees.

But supporters of the change say it is the long-awaited closing of a loophole that allows wealthy schools to avoid taxes.