Guidance

Summary of changes

Updated 11 October 2024

Applies to England

This sets out changes we have made to reflect our inspection practice. It does not include corrections or changes made to improve clarity.

October 2024

In this handbook, we have made the following substantial changes :

• set out the circumstances when we will carry out an integrated inspection of a boarding or residential special school

• emphasised that during a pre-registration inspection, we will ask the proposed school if any adult lives on the proposed premises. If so, inspectors will consider the proposed school’s risk assessment. We set out what the risk assessment should include

• emphasised that during a pre-registration inspection, inspectors will ask leaders if the proposed school if it will be part of a group of independent schools

• set out process for a headteacher to follow should they have any complaints about inspectors not acting in accordance with the code of conduct

• added clarification that leaders may be asked to reflect upon what they have heard at the inspection in order to help them decide what they want to draw inspector’s attention to. Added further clarification that inspectors’ meetings with the headteacher will help them understand the evidence on which judgements will be based on

• set out that when safeguarding is judged ineffective, or there are serious weakness discovered during any additional inspection, an inspector will complete an early notification form

• set out that inspectors will inform school leadership and the Ofsted duty desk when they think it is possible that, during any kind of additional inspection, the school or proposed school will not meet the independent school standards

• added clarification that whilst we will normally notify the school 2 calendar days before a material change inspection is due to start, a school may be notified on any day of the working week

• set out that during the notification call for a material change inspection, the inspector will establish whether the school has any pupils who attend off-site alternative provision; and if so which details which the inspector will ask for

• added clarification that we will always inform the DfE if we grant a deferral of any type of independent school inspection

April 2024

Paragraph 5: clarification that, when applying the handbook, inspectors will take appropriate action to comply with Ofsted’s Equality Act duties.

Paragraph 11: clarification regarding Ofsted’s updated complaints policy.

Paragraph 57: clarification regarding Ofsted’s policy for pausing inspections.

Paragraph 93, 99, 210, 215, 309, 416: updated link to Ofsted’s deferral policy. Clarification that requests to defer an emergency or progress monitoring inspections will be considered in accordance with our deferral policy.

Paragraph 102, 103, 217, 325: clarifications about the list of information that schools must make available for the start of inspection and minor amendments to provide clarification in final bullet regarding open cases and multi-agency plans.

Paragraph 107, 221: clarifications regarding welfare support available to schools, and opportunities to provide information on and/or discuss potential equalities duties, including reasonable adjustments for individuals.

Paragraph 120, 237, 337, 439: clarification that staff may always be accompanied by an (rather than another) appropriate person, when speaking to inspectors.

Paragraph 121, 238, 338, 440: minor amendment to provide clarification on when inspectors should contact the duty desk to discuss the appropriate action to take when there are well-being concerns.

Paragraph 156 to 158, 161, 269 to 270, 272, 363 to 364, 369, 467 to 468, 473: clarification regarding updated arrangements for publishing reports in line with Ofsted’s new complaints process.

Paragraph 159, 270, 367, 471: clarification that an inspection is complete when we send the final report to the DfE.

Paragraph 163, 274, 371, 475: clarification regarding updated arrangements for quality assurance in line with Ofsted’s new complaints process.

Paragraph 164 to 166, 276 to 278, 372 to 375, 477 to 479: clarification regarding updated arrangements for handling concerns and complaints in line with Ofsted’s new complaints process.

January 2024

Paragraph 8: clarification regarding the expectations for inspectors’ conduct during inspections.

Paragraph 17: clarification around terminology used in the handbook.

Paragraphs 33 to 41: inclusion of section clarifying the process for emergency and progress monitoring inspections of schools with no pupils on roll.

Paragraphs 107, 117, 147, 149, 221, 235, 260, 262, 355, 357, 436, 459 and 461: clarifications on involving leaders, governors and proprietor(s) in inspections, incorporating who may attend meetings including end of day meetings, how they can contribute and how inspectors will ensure leaders are kept informed on how the inspection is progressing.

Paragraphs 92, 107, 209 and 221: clarification on requesting a deferral.

Paragraphs 105 and 219: clarification regarding the preparatory telephone call(s) between the lead inspector and headteacher.

Paragraphs 87, 106, 205 and 220: clarification that the lead inspector will encourage the headteacher to have someone else present during the planning and educationally focused conversations for pre-registration and material change inspections.

Paragraphs 107 and 221: updates to reflect the information inspectors will request and discuss during the planning and educationally focused conversations and who may attend these conversations for pre-registration and material change inspections.

Paragraphs 197, 300 and 406: updates to reflect what inspectors will review and consider as part of their preparation.

Paragraphs 119, 120, 121, 146, 236, 237, 238, 259, 336, 337, 338, 354, 438, 439, 440 and 458: clarification regarding meetings with staff, pupils and parents to reflect who may be present and how inspectors should engage with leaders and respond if they see or suspect that a staff member is upset or distressed.

Paragraph 57: new section providing clarification on our pausing policy.

Paragraphs 150, 164, 165, 166, 263, 276, 277, 278, 358, 373, 374, 375, 462, 477, 478 and 479: updated to reflect how leaders may raise concerns both during the inspection and afterwards.

Paragraphs 156, 157, 267, 268, 362, 363, 466 and 467: clarification on when draft inspection reports are sent to schools and who they may be shared with.

August 2023 (for September 2023 version)

We have added further information on:

• meetings with staff and with parents
• sharing the final inspection outcomes with relevant personnel
• the timeline for final reports being sent to the DfE under the section on evaluating independent schools’ action plans
• when there are concerns about safeguarding or serious weakness or the proposed school appears to be operating without registration

We have also added a new subsection on schools raising concerns.

July 2023 (for September 2023 version)

In this update, we have made changes that provide further clarification on the inspection process, including:

• how we judge safeguarding
• inspectors’ conduct during inspections
• our approach to concurrent inspections of connected schools with the same proprietor
• how we inspect schools that are registered as children’s homes
• how inspectors will work closely together to plan the inspection activities for pre-registration, material change, emergency and progress monitoring inspections
• details on the lead inspector finding out the identity of a school’s individual proprietor or proprietor body before the inspections; this applies to pre-registration, material change, emergency and progress monitoring inspections
• how lead inspectors follow up any discrepancies identified during planning or phone calls

We have also provided more information on schools changing their registration details and schools providing special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) provision.

July 2022

Paragraphs 6 to 10: renamed the ‘Privacy notice’ heading as ‘Gathering personal information on inspection’ and updated this section to focus on inspectors’ powers to gather, use and store evidence.

Paragraph 24: clarifies that the fee for a pre-registration inspection may still be payable if a school withdraws its application at or after notification, and the lead inspector has already started off-site inspection activity.

Paragraph 25: clarifies that the fee for a pre-registration inspection may still be payable if inspectors are unable to access the site due to incomplete building works and the school has not requested a deferral or cancellation.

Paragraph 26: clarifies that Ofsted may use the evidence that inspectors gather during additional inspections to inform other work, such as national reporting.

Paragraphs 27 to 29: a new section sets out Ofsted’s overall approach to considering complaints during inspections at the direction of the DfE.

Paragraphs 44 to 46: a new section sets out the arrangements for proposed or existing alternative provision applying to register as an independent school.

Paragraphs 62 to 71: clarifies Ofsted’s position on the deferral of pre-registration inspections.

Paragraphs 268 to 270: clarifies how Ofsted considers complaints as part of emergency inspections when directed to by the DfE.

Paragraphs 308 to 315: a new section sets out Ofsted’s approach to emergency inspections of schools that appear to have closed, including arrangements for publishing the report.

June 2021 (for September 2021 version)

Paragraphs 22 and 23: updated to clarify that inspection fees will be charged unless a deferral is granted in line with our deferral policy prior to the start of on-site inspection activity, or – in the case of pre-registration inspections – unless the school withdraws their application prior to being notified that an inspection will take place.

Paragraph 213: clarified circumstances in which the Department for Education (DfE) may commission Ofsted to carry out an emergency inspection.

April 2021

Clarified that the handbook applies in the event the DfE commissions us to inspect an association school that is normally inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI).

Clarified legal basis for inspectors’ powers of entry.

Clarified that notification calls for pre-registration and material change inspections are made 2 calendar days before inspection (not working days).

Clarified that ‘Form A’ should only be used if there are concerns about safeguarding or serious weaknesses.

Clarified the impact on judgements if inspectors are prevented from talking to pupils on inspection.

Updates to the material change, emergency and progress monitoring chapters to include scenarios in which the DfE may decide to bring forward a school’s next standard inspection, following an additional inspection, to update the school’s graded judgements.