Guidance

Inspecting initial teacher education: leaflet for providers

Updated 21 February 2024

Applies to England

Introduction

This page explains what you need to know about an initial teacher education (ITE) inspection and what information inspectors will ask you for.

Under the initial teacher education inspection framework and handbook, inspectors will make judgements on the following:

• overall effectiveness

• quality of education and training

• leadership and management

Conduct during Ofsted inspections

Ofsted’s code of conduct sets out the expectations for both inspectors and providers. At the start of the inspection (usually during the preparatory conversations) the lead inspector will explain these expectations and will ask providers 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.

Information to share with inspectors

Inspectors will need you to provide certain information for them to use as part of the inspection.

Some information must be provided by 9am on the day after the notification call; the rest must be provided by 10.30am on the first day of the inspection.

You can also find this information in our initial teacher education inspection framework and handbook.

Information that providers must provide by 9am on the day after the notification call

Inspectors will need:

• a copy (where applicable) of the timetable for any delivery of the ITE curriculum taking place during the inspection

• a copy of the current staff list

• a list of all provider settings, indicating where trainees are currently placed (if no trainees are currently assigned to a provider setting, inspectors will want to know when the last placement was assigned to the setting)

• evidence of involvement in the ITE provider of settings/schools/colleges that are based in areas with different socio-economic circumstances, and those judged as requires improvement and new academies whose predecessor was judged less than good

• the number of trainees in each age phase and their subject(s)

• an overview of the programmes of education offered by the provider. This might include the postgraduate certificate in education, the professional graduate diploma in education, qualified teacher status, the level 5 learning and skills apprenticeship and so on

• maps (where appropriate) and other practical information

• information about the ITE curriculum, including an overview of the training calendar

• handbooks or other relevant information for subjects/courses to be explored during a focused review as agreed during the preparatory telephone conversations with the provider’s representatives

• a summary of any improvement planning, self-evaluation or equivalent

• in primary and secondary providers, an overview of how the provider meets the requirements set out in the ITT core content framework

• an overview of how leaders and managers (where relevant) ensure compliance with the requirements and expectations of an apprenticeship route, early years, primary and secondary, and assessment-only route criteria

How to submit the information

You should submit the information through the provider portal. We will provide instructions on how to access the portal when we notify you of the inspection.

Information that providers must provide by 10.30am on the first day of inspection

You can provide this information in electronic or hard copy on the day. Inspectors will need:

• any further evidence or detail of improvement planning as a result of self-evaluation and the impact of this on the quality of the provider’s education and training

• any available evidence of internal and external monitoring and evaluation, including external examiners’ reports and how the findings are used to improve the ITE curriculum

• any evidence of the involvement of settings, schools/colleges in the leadership of the ITE provider and the process for the recruitment and selection of trainees

• any evidence of how provider leaders meet the requirements of the Equality Act 2010, including the public sector equality duty (where applicable)

• background information on relevant trainees, including qualifications, prior experience and, for postgraduates, information about their undergraduate/postgraduate qualifications

• any evidence of how provider leaders monitor the quality of mentoring, including an understanding of the experience and expertise of mentors and trainers

• any evidence of the professional development provided for mentors and trainers that supports the delivery of the curriculum (for primary and secondary mentors/trainers, this encompasses the ITT core content framework)

• any evidence (where relevant) of the quality and effectiveness of the ITE provider’s work in the areas covered by any annual focused thematic subject inspections

Seeking the views of stakeholders

Inspectors will talk to a range of stakeholders, including trainees, trainers, mentors, phase leaders and managers, early career teachers (ECTs) and former trainees, about important aspects of the provider’s work. Inspectors will work constructively with stakeholders in line with our code of conduct, demonstrating professionalism, courtesy, empathy and respect at all times. Staff (including leaders at all levels) may always be accompanied by another appropriate person when speaking to inspectors. However, it is important that staff are able to express their views freely to inspectors. Therefore, meetings with trainees, ECTs and former trainees must take place without the presence of any leaders or mentors, unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Inspectors should take careful account of the well-being of leaders and staff and adjust their approach or activity, as appropriate, as they go about their inspection work in the best interests of trainees. If inspectors see or suspect that a staff member (including all leaders and the provider representative) is upset or distressed at any point during the inspection, inspectors should respond sensitively. Where appropriate, inspectors will consider suitable adjustments to enable the staff member to continue.

Where appropriate, inspectors will inform those responsible for the person’s well-being. The lead inspector should contact the regional duty desk and/or the regional Senior HM Inspector (SHMI) for teacher development to discuss what action to take.

There may be exceptional occasions when a pause to inspection needs to be considered. We will consider these on a case-by-case basis.

Trainees give their views about their ITE provider using an online survey for trainees. This is available during the summer term of each academic year before the inspection taking place.

At the start of the inspection, we will send you letters to distribute inviting centre-based and placement setting staff, mentors and trainees to complete an online survey. These surveys are confidential and complement the evidence gathered by inspectors during the inspection.

The surveys will be open to complete during the inspection period, and close on day 3 of the inspection, at 1pm.

More information about ITE inspections

Inspections will normally consist of 4 full days on site within the same week. Inspectors will spend most of their time carrying out focused reviews activities and gathering evidence to inform their judgements.

Inspectors will make their final judgements when they have collected and considered all the evidence.

There may be exceptional occasions when a pause to inspection needs to be considered. We will consider these on a case-by-case basis.

The ITE inspection handbook explains how we carry out inspections and the judgements that inspectors make. It contains the grade descriptors that inspectors use when making their judgements.

The inspection outcomes and report

Inspections will result in a published report. Inspection reports will be quality assured before we send a draft copy to the ITE provider. We expect the provider representative to share the draft inspection outcome and findings with whoever they deem appropriate, provided the information is not made public or shared with wider stakeholder groups. We aim to send reports to providers as quickly as possible. We may share the draft findings and/or provisional judgements of the inspection, in whole or in part, with the DfE. This will only take place following moderation or quality assurance.

Normally within 18 working days of the end of the inspection, the ITE provider will be invited to comment on the draft report, inspection process and findings. The ITE provider will have 5 working days to do this. We will consider all comments.

The lead inspector will respond to the ITE provider’s comments about factual accuracy. The comments of both the provider and the lead inspector will be reviewed by the relevant regional SHMI and/or the specialist adviser for teacher development, if appropriate.

Typically, the ITE provider will receive an electronic version of the report within 30 working days of the end of the inspection. We will also send our response to its comments on the draft report and inspection process and findings. In most circumstances, the final report will be published on our website within 38 working days.

Handling concerns and complaints

The great majority of our work is carried out smoothly and without incident. If concerns do arise during the inspection, they should be raised with the lead inspector as soon as possible, in order to resolve issues before the inspection is completed. Any concerns raised, and actions taken, will be recorded in the evidence. If there are any concerns that cannot be resolved with the lead inspector during the inspection, the provider representative or another senior leader can contact a senior Ofsted leader using the number provided during the preparatory conversations.

If an issue remains unresolved, the provider can contact Ofsted on the working day after the end of the inspection. This will be an opportunity for the provider to raise informal concerns about the inspection process or outcomes, ask about next steps or highlight information that they feel was not fully considered during the inspection. This will be directed to an inspector who is independent of the inspection to discuss and to resolve, where appropriate, at the earliest opportunity.

If it is not possible to resolve concerns during the inspection, through a telephone call the day after the inspection, or through submitting comments in response to the draft report, the ITE provider may wish to lodge a formal complaint on receipt of the final report. The lead inspector will ensure that the provider is informed that it is able to make a formal complaint and that information about how to complain is available on our website.

Online post-inspection survey

At the end of the inspection, we will invite you to complete an online inspection survey.

This survey asks for your views on the inspection process. It also aims to find out the likely impact the inspection will have on bringing about improvement.

Your responses will help us to assess the quality and impact of our inspections. We will use your feedback to review and improve the inspection process.

Further details about ITE inspections

You can find detailed information about the inspection in the initial teacher education inspection framework and handbook.

Gathering personal information on inspection

Inspectors will gather any personal information necessary to assist them in inspecting an ITE provider. Our privacy policy sets out what personal information we collect, what we do with it, how long we keep it and individuals’ rights under data protection legislation.

Contact us

Address:
Ofsted
Piccadilly Gate
Store Street
Manchester
M1 2WD

Helpline: 0300 123 1231

Online form: contact Ofsted.