Ofsted
Introduction
Schools can use this guide to help them understand the inspection process, including timings, notice that we give, judgements that we make and what happens after the visit to the school.
Conduct during Ofsted inspections
Ofsteds code of conduct sets out the expectations for both inspectors and schools. At the start of the inspection (usually during the preparatory conversations), the lead inspector will explain these expectations and will ask schools to read the code.
Inspectors will uphold the highest professional standards in their work. They will treat everyone they meet during inspections fairly and with the respect and sensitivity they deserve. Inspectors will work constructively with leaders and staff, demonstrating professionalism, courtesy, empathy and respect at all times.
Timings of inspections
Inspections can take place at any point from 5 school days after the first day pupils attend in the autumn term. For example, if pupils return to school on a Wednesday, an inspection can take place as early as the following Wednesday.
A school can request to defer or cancel an inspection, but only in exceptional circumstances. If pupils are receiving education in the school, an inspection will usually go ahead.
How often we inspect a school normally depends on the findings of its previous inspection, as outlined below. However, the situation is currently a bit more complicated, for several reasons, including:
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the pause to inspections during the pandemic meant that we have extended the inspection window for many schools
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the government lifted the inspection exemption for outstanding schools; this added 3,000 schools to our schedule, many of which have not been inspected for a decade or more
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the government has also asked us to inspect every school at least once before August 2025
This means that the gaps between inspections may be different for your school.
Our blogpost When will my school be inspected? sets out further clarity on when schools can expect their next inspection. This is in addition to the information below.
We inspect schools under section 5 or section 8 of the Education Act 2005 (as amended).
New schools
We usually inspect all new schools, including academies, in the first 3 years after they open. This normally happens in the schools third year. New schools that opened before September 2020 and that have not had their first inspection can expect to be inspected by their fifth year of operation. This is due to the suspension of routine inspection activity as a result of COVID-19.
Read guidance on how we select new schools for inspection.
Schools judged good or outstanding
A school judged good or outstanding at its most recent inspection will normally receive an inspection approximately every 4 years, to confirm that the school remains good or outstanding. We call this an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find some evidence that a school would now be better than it was, or that standards may be declining, we will carry out a full inspection with graded judgements. We call this a graded inspection, and it is carried out under section 5 of the Education Act. Usually this is within 1 to 2 years of the date of the ungraded inspection, but if we have serious concerns about a school, for example in relation to safeguarding, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.
However, some good schools will automatically receive a graded inspection. We use a risk assessment process to ensure that our approach to inspection is proportionate, in order to focus our efforts on where we can have the greatest impact.
Outstanding schools that were formerly exempt from routine inspections
Between 15 May 2012 and 13 November 2020, maintained primary and secondary schools and academies judged to be outstanding in their overall effectiveness at their most recent graded inspection were exempt from routine inspections. These schools are now once again subject to routine inspections. This also applies to academy converter schools that were formerly exempt because the overall effectiveness of the predecessor school was outstanding at its most recent graded inspection. (Academy converter schools are schools that have been approved by the Secretary of State to convert to become an academy.)
All formerly exempt schools will receive an initial graded or ungraded inspection before 1 August 2025. Those schools that received their last graded inspection before September 2015 will receive an initial graded inspection. Those that received their last graded inspection after this date will normally receive an initial ungraded inspection. If that ungraded inspection indicates that outstanding performance may not have been maintained, we will normally carry out a graded inspection within the next 12 months or as soon as possible thereafter and, in any event, before 1 August 2026. Beyond these initial inspections, future inspections for these schools will take place as set out in the section above.
Schools judged requires improvement
A school judged as requires improvement at its last inspection is a school that is not yet good but overall provides an acceptable standard of education. The school will receive a graded inspection again within a period of 2.5 years.
If a school has been judged as requires improvement at 2 successive inspections, it will be subject to monitoring from inspectors to check its progress. We will carry out a graded inspection again within a period of 2.5 years of the publication of the previous graded inspection report.
Schools judged inadequate
When we judge a school as inadequate, we place the school in a category of concern. This means that we judge the school either to have serious weaknesses or to require special measures.
The Secretary of State for Education will issue an academy order to a maintained school judged inadequate and placed in a category of concern. The school will then become a sponsored academy. We will not usually monitor the school unless there are safeguarding concerns or there is a delay in the school becoming a sponsored academy.
If an academy is judged inadequate and placed in a category of concern, we will monitor the school. If an academy is judged inadequate and is rebrokered to a new multi-academy trust to become a new sponsored academy, we will not usually carry out any monitoring inspections.
If an academy is judged as having serious weaknesses or requiring special measures, and if it is not rebrokered to a new multi-academy trust, we will monitor the school to check its progress. We will then carry out a graded inspection within 2.5 years of the publication of the academys previous graded inspection report.
If a maintained nursery school or a non-maintained special school is judged inadequate on a graded inspection, we will monitor it in the same way as an academy judged as inadequate that is not re-brokered to a new sponsor trust.
Where a school is judged to have serious weaknesses solely due to safeguarding, we will return within 3 months of the publication of the graded inspection report.
Who inspects schools?
School inspectors are:
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His Majestys Inspectors (HMI) employed directly by Ofsted
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contracted Ofsted Inspectors
Notice of an inspection
We will normally notify the school of its inspection between 9.30am and 2pm on the school day before the start of the inspection.
By exception, we can inspect any school without notice, if this is judged appropriate. Where this is the case, the lead inspector will normally telephone the school about 15 minutes before arriving on site.
Once we have informed the school of the inspection, the lead inspector will contact the school and ask to speak to the headteacher. This conversation with the headteacher will have 2 elements:
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a short inspection-planning conversation that focuses on practical and logistical arrangements
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a longer, reflective, educationally focused conversation about the schools progress since the last inspection, including how COVID-19 has affected this
We understand that there is a great deal of information to be discussed at this stage of the inspection. For this reason, it may be helpful to discuss these elements in 2 or more separate conversations with a break in between. The lead inspector will discuss what will work best for the headteacher.
The inspection-p