perry golf cruises

Current Offers

Get up to $1,000 onboard credit on select golf cruises in 2024 & 2025, save 20% off the cruise fare on select golf cruises in 2025 & 2026, get a complimentary experience more essentials package if you book a veranda stateroom or higher, sail on and save with back-2-back golf cruises   .

The only thing better than a PerryGolf + Azamara cruise is two PerryGolf + Azamara cruises. Or three.  Better yet,  Azamara’s Back-2-Back Benefit Program  will reward you with a healthy account of OnBoard Credit (OBC) which you can see at https://www.azamaraclubcruises.com/plan/back-to-back-voyages

Book your cruise with PerryGolf and we will also extend you the following additional savings. Back-2-back (2) voyages - 3% discount on cruise fare on both voyages. Back-2-back (3 or more) voyages - 5% discount on cruise fare on all (3 or more) voyages.

The below cruises for the Mediterranean and Northern Europe will combine seamlessly;

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2022 Irish Links Golf Cruise Southampton - Dublin 11 Nights | 6 Rounds | July 27 – August 6

2022 Mediterranean Islands Golf Cruise Barcelona - Athens 10 Nights | 5 Rounds | September 17 - 27

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Now Available: All 2024/225 Perry Golf Cruises to Some of the World's Finest Courses

About Sports

Perry Golf's full collection of golf cruises in 2024 and 2025 is now available. The 2025 season currently features 17 departures on Azamara cruises between January and October, 2025.

Now's your chance to golf at 70 marquee golf courses, including 22 ranked among the World 100, in 2025. All while enjoying the pleasures of cruising to another destination - almost daily!

Highlights of the 2025 Golf Cruise Season

In the British Isles, five voyages are scheduled between June and August. The flagship cruise to England, Ireland, and Scotland will include golf rounds and attendance at The 153rd Open at Royal Portrush.

Two "Scottish Links & Islands Golf Cruises" will offer 12 nights and five rounds each, allowing passengers to play courses such as Royal Dornoch, Turnberry, and Dumbarnie Links.

Another pair of "Irish Links Golf Cruises" will provide 11 and 12 nights of travel, with five and six rounds respectively, including Royal County Down, Royal Portrush, and Ballybunion.

More sailings may be added in the future. Many of the 2024 golf cruises are already sold out.

Book your 2025 golf cruise now while we can still get you Early Booking savings!

Choose among the best selection of 46 suites, each with balcony and butler service which routinely book first onboard Azamara’s small-sized ships.

Other highlights of the 2025 collection include:

British Isles Golf Cruise with attendance at The 153rd Open at Royal Portrush

Two 23/24-Night, 11/12-Round, back-to-back Scotland & Ireland Intensive Golf Cruise combinations

The opportunity to sail Northern Europe for 68 nights and 27 rounds in the same cabin by way of five back-to-back golf cruises

Two New Zealand & Australia Golf Cruises

Norwegian Golf Cruise

Eight voyages in the Mediterranean / Iberian Peninsula

2025 New Zealand & Australia Golf Cruise

16 Nights from Melbourne to Auckland on Azamara Pursuit

6 Rounds including Kauri Cliffs, Cape Kidnappers, Otago, Christchurch, Royal Wellington & The Lakes

January 4 - 20, 2025

2025 New Zealand & Australia Golf Cruise   - LIMITED SPACE

16 Nights from Auckland to Sydney on Azamara Pursuit

6 Rounds including Kauri Cliffs, Cape Kidnappers, Christchurch, Otago, Tasmania & Woodlands

POST-CRUISE OPTION – Sydney including Golf at The Lakes & New South Wales

February 3 - 19, 2025

2025 Iberian Peninsula Golf Cruise

9 Nights from Lisbon to Barcelona on Azamara Journey

4 Rounds including Royal Seville, La Reserva, El Saler & Son Gual

April 12 - 21, 2025

2025 Mediterranean Islands Golf Cruise

12 Nights from Athens to Barcelona on Azamara Quest

5 Rounds including Crete, Il Picciolo, Pevero, Sperone & Son Gual

May 10 - 22, 2025

2025 Spain Intensive Golf Cruise

14 Nights from Barcelona to Bordeaux  on Azamara Quest

7 Rounds including El Saler, Torrequebrada, San Roque, Royal Seville, Oitavos Dunes, Pedrena Golf & Golf du Medoc

May 27 - June 10, 2025

2025 Scottish Links & Islands Golf Cruise  

12 Nights from Southampton to Dublin  on Azamara Quest

5 Rounds including Dumbarnie, Cruden Bay, Royal Dornoch, Orkney GC & Ailsa Turnberry

June 19 - July 1, 2025

2025 Baltic Sea Golf Cruise  

15 Nights from Copenhagen to Southampton  on Azamara Journey

6 Rounds including Bro Hof Slott, Hirsala, Estonian G&CC, Jurmala, Sand Valley & Bades Huk

June 30 - July 15, 2025

2025 Irish Links Golf Cruise  

11 Nights from Dublin to Dublin  on Azamara Quest

5 Rounds including Royal County Down, Donegal, Ballybunion, Old Head / Fota Island & Portmarnock Links

July 1 - 12, 2025

2025 British Isles Golf Cruise & The 153rd Open at Royal Portrush   

13 Nights from Southampton to Edinburgh  on Azamara Journey

6 (or 3) Rounds ranging from Royal Birkdale, Hillside, Prestwick, Ailsa Turnberry, Cruden Bay, Carnoustie, Kingsbarns, Dumbarnie & Gleneagles

July 15 - 28, 2025

All golf packages include Saturday & Sunday Attendance to The 153rd Open at Royal Portrush

2025 Norwegian Golf Cruise  

16 Nights from Edinburgh to Copenhagen  on Azamara Journey

4 Rounds including Lofoten Links, Tromsø GC, Trondheim GC & Stavanger GC

July 28 - August 13, 2025

12 Nights from Copenhagen to Dublin  on Azamara Journey

5 Rounds including Dumbarnie, Trump International, Royal Dornoch, Orkney GC & Ailsa Turnberry

August 13 - 25, 2025

12 Nights from Dublin to Portsmouth  on Azamara Journey

6 Rounds including Portmarnock Links, Royal County Down, Royal Portrush, Donegal, Ballybunion & Fota Island / Old Head

August 25 - September 6, 2025

2025 Spain Intensive Golf Cruise  

13 Nights from Bordeaux to Barcelona  on Azamara Journey

6 Rounds including Uraburu, Oitavos Dunes, Royal Seville, La Reserva, Torrequebrada & El Saler

September 16 - 29, 2025

10 Nights from Lisbon to Barcelona  on Azamara Quest

5 Rounds including Palmares, Royal Seville, La Reserva, Torrequebrada & El Saler

September 24 - October 4, 2025

2025 Mediterranean Islands Golf Cruise  

10 Nights from Barcelona to Nice  on Azamara Journey

4 Rounds including Son Gual, Il Picciolo, Pevero & Sperone

September 29 - October 9, 2025

12 Nights from Athens to Barcelona  on Azamara Onward

October 25 - November 6, 2025

10 Nights from Barcelona to Lisbon  on Azamara Quest

4 Rounds including El Saler, Finca Cortesin, La Reserva & Royal Seville

October 27 - November 6, 2025

2024 South African Golf Cruise   - WAITLIST

12 Nights Cape Town – Cape Town on Azamara Pursuit

5 Rounds including Pearl Valley, Humewood, East London, Durban & Zimbali

*Pre/Post Cruise Options Available

January 15 - 27, 2024

2024 New Zealand & Australia Golf Cruise - WAITLIST

16 Nights Auckland – Sydney on Azamara Journey

6 Rounds including Kauri Cliffs, Cape Kidnappers, Otago GC & The Kinloch Club

January 21 - February 6, 2024

2024 South American Golf Cruise

9 Nights Buenos Aires – Rio de Janeiro on Azamara Quest

4 Rounds including The Olympic, Club de Golf Uruguay, Cantegril & Guaruja GC

March 6 - 15, 2024

2024 Japan, Hong Kong & Vietnam Golf Cruise   - LIMITED SPACE

15 Nights Tokyo – Singapore on Azamara Journey

5 Rounds including Osaka, Kochi Kuroshiro, Clearwater Bay, Ba Na Hills & Tan Son Nhat

April 18 - May 5, 2024

2024 Mediterranean Islands Golf Cruise   - WAITLIST

12 Nights Barcelona - Athens on Azamara Pursuit

5 Rounds including Son Gual, Sperone, Il Picciolo, Pevero & Crete

May 28 - June 9, 2024

2024 Scottish Links & Islands Golf Cruise  

11 Nights Southampton - Dublin on Azamara Onward

5 Rounds including Dumbarnie, Carnoustie, Royal Dornoch, Orkney Golf Club & Ailsa Turnberry

June 20 - July 1, 2024

2024 Irish Links Golf Cruise  - WAITLIST

12 Nights Dublin - Oslo on Azamara Onward

6 Rounds inc. Portmarnock Links , Fota Island / Old Head, Ballybunion, Donegal, Royal County Down & Royal Portrush

July 1 - 13, 2024

2024 Norwegian Golf Cruise  

17 Nights Oslo - Copenhagen on Azamara Onward

4 Rounds including Stavanger GC, Lofoten Links, Tromsø GC & Trondheim GC

July 13 - 30, 2024

2024 British Isles Golf Cruise & The 152 nd  Open at Royal Troon  - LIMITED SPACE

12 Nights Edinburgh - Dublin on Azamara Quest

6 (or 3) Rounds ranging from Gleneagles, Carnoustie, Kingsbarns, Castle Stuart and Royal Dornoch, to Royal County Down, Royal Portrush, The K Club & Portmarnock Links

July 14 - 26, 2024

All golf packages include Saturday & Sunday Attendance to The 152nd Open at Royal Troon

2024 Baltic Sea Golf Cruise

11 Nights Copenhagen - Stockholm on Azamara Onward

5 Rounds including Sand Valley, Jurmala, Estonian G & CC, Hirsala & Bro Hof Slott

August 11 - 22, 2024

2024 Scottish Links & Islands Golf Cruise  

11 Nights Oslo - Dublin on Azamara Quest

5 Rounds including Dumbarnie Links, Cruden Bay, Castle Stuart, Orkney Golf Club & Royal Birkdale

August 12 - 23, 2024

2024 Irish Links Golf Cruise  

11 Nights Dublin - Southampton on Azamara Quest

6 Rounds inc. Portmarnock Links, Fota Island, Ballybunion, Donegal, Royal County Down & Royal Portrush

August 23 - September 3, 2024

2024 Iberian Peninsula Golf Cruise

10 Nights Lisbon - Barcelona on Azamara Quest

4 Rounds including Palmares, Royal Seville, La Reserva & El Saler

September 11 - 21, 2024

2024 Mediterranean Islands Golf Cruise  

9 Nights Rome - Barcelona on Azamara Onward

4 Rounds including Sperone, Pevero, Son Gual & El Prat

October 18 - 27, 2024

2024 Iberian Peninsula Golf Cruise  

10 Nights Barcelona - Lisbon on Azamara Onward

5 Rounds including El Saler, Finca Cortesin, La Reserva, Royal Seville & Oitavos Dunes

October 27 - November 6, 2024

2024 Arabian Gulf Golf Cruise

8 Nights Dubai - Dubai on Azamara Pursuit

4 Rounds including Yas Links, Saadiyat Beach, Education City & Emirates - Majlis Course

November 13 - 21, 2024

*** Terms & Conditions Apply; ask us for full itinerary and pricing details

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High Seas Partnership: Perry Golf and Azamara Club Cruises

12 Questions About 2024 PGA Championship Host Valhalla with Jack Nicklaus

Top 10 “Ranch” Courses in the U.S.

Characters: On-Course Reporter John Wood

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By Graylyn Loomis

In the 33 years that PerryGolf has been operating golf tours, it’s seen substantial growth and added trips from Australia to South Africa and Scotland to the Middle East. But the fastest-growing part of its business may prove surprising, as it’s a way to play the world’s great courses that many consumers may not have considered—golf cruises.

If you’ve never thought about cruising for golf, remember where many of the best layouts are located: The coasts of the United Kingdom, Australia’s Sand Belt, on tropical islands. You get the idea. Now put aside those first thoughts conjured up when hearing the word “cruise”—gargantuan ships with water slides, bowling alleys, casinos, buffets, and Vegas-like stage shows.

Try, instead, to picture something called “destination immersion.” The best golf cruises switch the focus from on-board amenities to the destination, with the shipprimarily serving as a luxurious way of reaching extra-special golf and cultural locales. PerryGolf is able to offer this style of journey because of a partnership established in 2010 with Azamara Club Cruises, which runs the seaborne side of its golf trips. Azamara is a specialist in meshing a luxurious on-board experience with the best on-land destinations.

“Upscale clients like ours want to be enriched by the destination, whether through culture, food, drink, or the landscape,” explains Azamara CEO Larry Pimentel. “We think outside the ship and come up with journeys based on what we know people love to do.” Among other things, that means spending extra time in port and allowing guests to see, do, and experience more at each location.

Another key difference is Azamara’s ships. While capable of sailing in deep-water oceans, they are much smaller than the mammoth vessels you see in TV commercials, accommodating up to 700 passengers rather than the large ships’ 6,000. PerryGolf co-f ounder Colin Dalgleish likens the smaller ships to boutique hotels. “They’re perfect for us. We can offer all of the amenities at a level our clients expect, but the ships are small enough that we can get to the right destinations.” Among those are ports in places like the Mediterranean, Scotland, and the Arabian Peninsula.

Of the 700 passengers, only about 70 are PerryGolf guests. They enjoy a number of exclusive events, including special meals and an awards night. At least three members of PerryGolf’s staff are always on the ship alongside Azamara’s team to help golf cruisers and arrange on-land logistics.

Cruising offers other advantages that are winning over traveling golfers. “I love that you unpack once, the ship doesn’t have to stop to ask for directions, and you wake up in a new location every day,” says Dennis Tosh, a long-time PerryGolf client. “It’s a one-stop shop: You can write one check and you get to see nearly anywhere in the world.”

“We try to create a seamless experience between the onboard and land aspects of the trip,” explains Dalgleish. “On any given golf day, all of the golf equipment has gone out in advance to the course and bags are waiting for players on their carts. Guests come out to the course on transfers from the ship and they can hit balls, visit the pro shop, or go to the first tee. Pairings are set up on the ship to give guests a variety of experiences and allow them to meet different people. There is food and refreshments available throughout the round and an open bar at the end of the round where people relax and enjoy a drink, and then we head back to the ship.”

Golf cruises often visit destinations difficult to visit only by land. “A perfect example is the Arabian Peninsula where people often know about the great golf in Dubai and Abu Dhabi,” says Dalgleish. “But, when you look closer, you realize there is fantastic golf in Oman, Bahrain, and Qatar, and when you look at it, you realize it’s possible to create a golf experience with a cruise that would be extremely difficult by land due to flight logistics and difficult border crossings.”

The cruises aren’t as golf-intensive as most land-based trips, the kind taken primarily by groups of golf buddies. The PerryGolf cruise clientele is largely couples and while golf is still a main focus of the trip, the destination and cultural experience are equally important. Shore excursions—ranging from a day at the Open Championship to concerts, sightseeing, and more—fill the days when golf isn’t scheduled. Plus, there are special programs for non-golfers on the trip, says Tosh.

In 2018 and 2019, PerryGolf will run cruises to New Zealand and Australia, Scotland, England, France, Spain, the Baltic Sea, the Arabian Peninsula, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Japan, and the East Coast of the U.S. Prices are usually separated for the golf package and the cruise fare, making it easy, especially for couples with only one golfer. Fares vary greatly depending on room type, destination, and the non-golf programs included on the trip.

“I’ve traveled around the world playing golf,” says Tosh. “I’ve dragged my darn golf clubs everywhere. It’s just so much easier on a cruise.”

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Golf Cruises: How to Play in Port

Combining your passions for cruising and golfing is an ideal way to explore iconic courses around the world, hopping from course to course without having to worry about transportation and accommodations. You can meet and play with other golfers, both on the ship and in ports of call, and in some cases, even have access to golf pros as you cruise between courses.

Seems simple, right? It can get a little more complicated than that. Between lugging clubs on and off the ship and figuring out the logistics of where to play and how to get there, there can be a lot to consider.

We explored the options for golf cruises and playing in port. Here is a rundown and some tips for you.

On This Page

Planning and playing on your own, golf excursions, cruise lines with golf-themed cruises, third-party cruise and golf planners, personalized golf packages, packing and shipping clubs.

Whether your cruise takes you to a port with primo golf courses nearby or simply a quiet spot with nine holes you'd like to hit, you can always choose to go it on your own. Start by looking for courses in the vicinity of the cruise port, keeping in mind that there might be multiple places your ship can dock in any given port. The Cruise Critic Message Boards are a good resource for finding courses near cruise terminals; members who have played them on previous sailings can review the course and speak to logistics around transportation and reserving tee times.

One chief concern is how you will get from the ship to the golf course and back. Again, the message boards are a good place to find that information. Taxis are a universal option almost anywhere you cruise, but don't rule out public transportation options in larger cities like Athens, Amsterdam or Sydney.

Secondary to the question of how to get there and back is how much time you should allow for your outing. We studied a sampling of cruise ship-organized golf excursions and found that, on average, you should allow a minimum of four hours for a nine-hole outing and six hours for an 18-hole game. That means that if your ship is in port less than seven hours, you are going to be cutting things quite close to play a full round.

Obviously, once you have a course in mind, the next step is getting it booked. Distance and language barriers are more easily managed than you might think, with more courses putting booking options right on their websites. If the course you want to play doesn't have an online booking service, look for an email option to get instructions on how to proceed with a booking request. And, if hauling your own clubs onboard is not your idea of fun, this is also a good time to check with the courses you have in mind regarding rental equipment.

If you want to spend some time on the greens in a port or two during a cruise, but you'd rather not handle all the planning yourself, check your cruise line's excursion options. Carnival, Norwegian, Royal Caribbean and MSC Cruises offer golf excursions in popular golfing ports of calls like Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas, Cozumel, Montego Bay and Bermuda. Even luxury cruise line SeaDream Yacht Club offers golf excursions on select cruises. Utilizing a ship-sponsored excursion is an easy way to save considerable planning time compared to organizing an outing on your own.

Another option for a preplanned golf outing would be third-party excursion companies. In Mexico, the Caribbean and even in the Mediterranean, you can find golf excursion options on websites like ShoreTrips and Viator (a sister company to Cruise Critic).

Cruise lines' golf-themed sailings are for travelers who want serious golf time on serious courses -- not just to hit a few balls in scenic spots. These golf-intensive voyages can bring you to some of the best courses in the world, while you enjoy the benefit of cruising on some of the world's premier cruise lines. Though not everyone onboard will have booked the cruise for the golf, there will be a considerable number of fellow golfers to hang out with or try your luck against.

Look for golf cruises with packages that include support from a PGA professional both onboard and on the course, baggage service, coaching, green fees and transfers to and from the courses -- sometimes in private limousines. Theme cruise activities often include exclusive events for golfers onboard, ranging from cocktail parties to informal chats with the pros.

Fees for participation in the golf theme are on a per-person basis, so nongolfing travel partners pay only the standard price for the cruise. And, of course, there are plenty of nongolf excursions and activities available throughout the cruise, so "golf widows" don't have to feel bored or alone.

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, Crystal Cruises, AmaWaterways, European Waterways, Avalon Waterways and Azamara (with partner PerryGolf) all offer golf-themed cruises that include rounds on courses like the Beckenbauer Course in Germany (home of the Porsche European Open), Castle Stuart Golf Links in Inverness, Scotland, and the Monte Carlo Golf Club.

Expand your golf cruise thinking a bit more and you discover that there are travel agencies that specialize in planning golf travel -- including golf cruising. There are companies that open up the options for golfing in port by working with Norwegian, Oceania, Celebrity, Cunard and Ponant to bring you cruises that focus on your sport.

GolfAhoy offers golf packages on partial ship charters that are a happy medium for those who would find a true golf theme cruise too intensive. They take all the work out of planning the golf outings, but not much more. Don't expect onboard activities for golfers, PGA pros to help with your game or staff onboard to carry, clean and store your clubs.

Kalos Golf cruises, however, are deeply immersive. The line's full-ship charters go beyond even the golf theme cruises hosted by the cruise lines themselves by putting you onboard luxury ships filled with fellow golfers. No detail is overlooked. In many cases, you will even be using Kalos' own fleet of carts, shipped to the course ahead of you. And, while the cruise is planned around getting golfers to the world's top courses, there are activities planned for nongolfing travel partners as well.

In addition to the golf-themed cruises it does with Azamara, PerryGolf also offers hotel barge cruises for golfers from April to October in England and Scotland, with a total capacity of only eight. Other passengers onboard may or may not be fellow golfers. Guided tours are included at each stop for nongolfers.

If you're serious about your vacation golfing but want more say over your play (or don't need onboard coaching or to meet fellow golfers), find a travel agent who can book your cruise and arrange golf outings for you in port.

For example, Fairway Cruises plans individual golf packages on Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises and Celebrity. Agents at Trendsetter Travel set you up for golfing at ports around the globe on the ships of Seabourn, Silversea, Crystal, Uniworld, Tauck and American Cruise Lines. Though their offices are in Australia, they are happy to work with golfers from around the world.

Agencies that plan golf cruising function much as any travel agent would, with the ability to arrange pre- and post-cruise transportation and accommodations as needed, as well as book tee times and schedule transportation to the courses. Many will also make arrangements for renting clubs or shipping yours directly to the cruise ship.

One last bit of advice for all forms of cruise golfing: Don't forget to properly pack your clubs. Even if you plan to travel to your departure port in your own vehicle, upon arrival at the ship, you will be handing your bag off to the ship's baggage handlers.

The golf club shipping experts at Ship Sticks suggest you remove the heads where possible and use plenty of Bubble Wrap taped around all the remaining heads before enclosing your bag and clubs in a hard or soft outer case or a box to prevent damage. As with other luggage, have your contact information both inside and outside of the container.

The other advice from Ship Sticks is to avoid schlepping your clubs at all by shipping them directly to your cruise ship. In addition to Ship Sticks, there are multiple options for doing that, including services like Luggage Forward and Luggage to Ship, as well as shipping services offered by some cruise lines.

© 1995— 2024 , The Independent Traveler, Inc.

Single-phrase Ofsted judgments will stay despite calls for them to be scrapped following the death of head teacher Ruth Perry .

The Department for Education (DfE) has said it will “continue to listen to views and look at alternative systems”, but it believes there are “significant benefits” to headline grades awarded by the schools watchdog.

The head teacher took her own life after an Ofsted report downgraded her Caversham Primary School in Reading from its highest rating, “outstanding”, to its lowest rating, “inadequate”, over safeguarding concerns.

In December, a coroner concluded the Ofsted inspection on Nov 15 and 16 in 2022 “contributed” to Perry’s death.

In its response to an inquiry into Ofsted by the Commons Education Select Committee, the DfE said the overall judgment provides a “succinct” summary for parents and helps identify which schools need support.

It said its priority is to look for ways to improve the inspection system rather than “developing an alternative to it”. This response has been described by education union leaders as “deeply disappointing” and a missed opportunity for “meaningful change”.

Professor Julia Waters, the sister of Mrs Perry, called the response “woefully inadequate” and said the changes offered do not go “far enough”.

The Inspectorate has come under greater scrutiny in the past year after Perry’s suicide.

A report by the Education Select Committee in January called on the DfE and Ofsted to develop an alternative to the single-word judgments “as a priority” to better capture the “complex nature of a school’s performance”.

It said as a “first step” the websites of Ofsted and the DfE should show a school’s rating in different areas, not just the overall judgment.

The DfE listed the benefits of one-word judgments in its response to MPs.

It said: “So, while the Government will continue to listen to views and look at alternative systems, including the various approaches taken internationally, the Government’s view is that 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.

“This includes considering with Ofsted the presentation of its findings and grades, and opportunities to highlight some of the detail sitting under the summary grade.”

The DfE added that it agreed with the cross-party group that part of this is about “increasing visibility” of the graded sub-judgments that Ofsted makes – such as “quality of education” and “behaviour and attitudes”.

Prof Waters said: “It is depressing to see the Government still defending aspects of the inspection system, such as single-word judgments, that are so harmful, divisive and counter-productive.”

She added: “The Government’s response to the Education Committee’s report on Ofsted is woefully inadequate.

“It is very difficult for me and my family to see the Government refer to my sister by name, and then so clearly fail to respond to the many important lessons from her death that the coroner and the Education Committee have raised.”

“The small tweaks to the current, dangerous system that have so far been offered do not go anywhere near far enough. We need to see urgent, root-and-branch reform of this fatally flawed inspection system,” she added.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the school leaders’ union the NAHT, said: “Single-word judgments do not ‘provide significant benefit’ – they are deeply harmful and must be scrapped entirely.

“Last year’s tragic events showed that, and we cannot rule out something awful happening again in future if the inspectorate does not change.

“Should such a horrific situation occur, it will be ministers who need to answer for the decisions that have been taken.”

He said the DfE’s response “smacks of a government that is out of touch with parents and professionals alike”, adding: “The Government’s defence of discredited, simplistic, and reductive single-word or phrase judgments simply perpetuates an inhumane and unreliable inspection system that is driving a mental health and wellbeing crisis across England’s schools.”

‘Flawed system’

Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: “The Government’s response to the call for an alternative to single-phrase judgments is deeply disappointing.

“Its solution is to ‘consider’ the presentation of Ofsted reports rather than the system itself.

“This is despite all the evidence that these single-phrase judgments are the source of sky-high stress and anxiety, damaging the wellbeing of leaders and teachers, sapping morale and causing many people to leave the profession.

“They stigmatise schools and colleges, making improvement more difficult to secure, and thus they do a disservice to children, parents and communities.

“The problem is not presentational; it is that the system is fundamentally flawed and must change.”

Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), said the response misses an opportunity “to take significant steps towards meaningful change”.

“The DfE’s refusal to accept that single-word judgments should be scrapped will be met with dismay across the teaching profession,” he said.

Last month, Ofsted chief inspector Sir Martyn Oliver launched the watchdog’s Big Listen public consultation which will seek views about the inspectorate.

‘Nuanced method achievable’

Conservative MP Robin Walker, chairman of the Education Select Committee, said: “In recent months we have seen encouraging signs that the inspectorate has listened and is willing to change.

“It is especially welcome to hear from DfE that it is open to ideas about how the single-word judgments system could be improved upon – a set of policies that the Government alone has the authority to change.

“My committee agrees that there are benefits to having a system of judgments or ratings, such as the clarity they provide for parents.

“But we also maintain that a more nuanced version of this system is both achievable and in everyone’s interests.”

An Ofsted spokesman said: “Ofsted aims always to be a force for good in this country, ensuring schools, children’s homes, nurseries and colleges deliver the highest standards of education and care to children.

“But we know we can improve. That is why we launched the Big Listen, which invites feedback from parents, professionals and children on everything we do.”

A DfE spokesman said: “We have no plans to remove one-word judgments. They give parents the confidence in choosing the right school for their child and provide a clear basis for taking action to improve underperforming schools.

“The Secretary of State has been clear that we will continue to consider ways to improve the current system, including looking at international approaches, and we are looking forward to hearing the views of teachers, parents and children through the Big Listen.”

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Worldwide Golf Tours & Cruises 2024/2025/2026

More choices by land and sea than any other golf travel operator.

The world continues to offer an impressive selection of quality and variety for the international golf traveler. Exceptional courses can be found virtually everywhere and particularly in the most desirable destinations where golf can be enjoyed with iconic sightseeing, safaris, wine tasting and natural beauty. We arrange such vacations three ways; Custom Tours that are entirely personalized, Escorted Tours with pre-configured itineraries and Golf Cruises onboard Azamara's® fleet of intimate-style ships for less than 700 guests.

Custom Tours are available to eleven destinations: Scotland , Ireland , England , Wales , Portugal , Spain , France, Italy , New Zealand , Australia and South Africa . Group sizes range typically from 2 – 24 but larger parties are always welcome. We remain the host of choice for the British Isles where the longstanding and unrivalled access we provide as an Authorized Provider to guaranteed play on the Old Course, St Andrews uniquely qualifies us to deliver one of the greatest trips in the game.

Our Escorted Tours are popular with golf couples as are our  Golf Cruises . We offer around 20 voyages a year in conjunction with Azamara, our cruise partner since 2011.  Departures are available throughout the year beginning with South Africa ,  New Zealand/Australia  and  South America  in January and February. We’ll sail the  Baltic Sea , the  British Isles  including attendance to The Open , the  Mediterranean  and  Norway  from spring to fall. November/December will find us in the  Arabian Gulf . Each cruise will have 40-60 golf guests who enjoy the company of like-minded new friends.

Of course, we always welcome the opportunity to assist you personally at 800.344.5257 or [email protected] .

Our golf cruise prices are capacity controlled and may change without notice until booked.

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