Not so long ago the idea of coasting schools in leafy affluent areas going unchecked because their results were never terrible was seen as major problem which the Government needed to address.

But now a new announcement raises the prospect that thousands of schools might never need to worry about direct Ministerial intervention again.

Damian Hinds will today signal a major change in the way ministers hold schools to account.

Forced academisation will only happen if a school is judged to be failing by Ofsted.

Not only this but he is consulting on having only one measure for triggering school support and will consult on whether this is floor targets or coasting schools.

The two changes could combine to make a whole swathe of schools serving affluent areas practically immune from direct government intervention  

In the past the Government has looked to use different levers to promote the academies programme, including coasting and floor standards.  By stating that only an inadequate Ofsted rating will trigger forced academy conversion Hinds is changing the landscape.

Outstanding mainstream schools are already generally exempt from being inspected again unless their results suggest to Ofsted that they need to return or safeguarding concerns are raised.

As a negative Ofsted judgement is now the only trigger for direct intervention does this mean that for the majority of the country’s 4,500 outstanding rated schools they do not need to worry about such intervention again? 

Much will depend on whether the Government ditches floor targets or the coasting category in its forthcoming consultation. But with Hinds saying his message to schools is that he trusts them and wants to give them space to do their job it is more likely to be the latter category that makes way.

The DfE insist that these changes do not let outstanding schools off the hook. If their results dip then Ofsted can return. In reality though only a tiny fraction of outstanding schools have been reinspected this year. Less than 40 out of more than 4,000. 

And if you have an intake full of able middle class pupils, how likely is it that your results will dip below floor standards, even if they do measure progress?

Headteachers and teachers will welcome Government announcement. And many will argue it is a long overdue recognition of the pressure accountability has put on schools and teachers and the negative impact it has had on the profession.

But will parents be concerned that the changes mean that their child’s schools is said to be outstanding but won’t ever be fully scrutinised unless things go badly wrong?