Inspecting schools: guide for maintained and academy schools
This guide gives a summary of what schools should expect and what they need to do as part of an Ofsted inspection.
Applies to England
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
Ofsted’s 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.
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 school’s 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 for overall effectiveness before September 2024
Until September 2024, graded inspections of schools included an overall effectiveness grade in addition to the key judgements and any provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website.
From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. Schools inspected from then will not have the same way of working out when to expect their next inspection as other schools. We will set out the expected dates for when we will next inspect these schools from September 2025. They should not expect to receive an ungraded or graded inspection before then. Some could receive an urgent or monitoring inspection, which can be deemed a graded inspection.
A school judged good or outstanding for overall effectiveness at its most recent inspection before September 2024 will normally receive an inspection approximately every 4 years. This is to confirm that the school has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection. We call this an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded key or provision judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find some evidence that a school’s work has improved significantly, or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, 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 schools judged good or outstanding for overall effectiveness before September 2024 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.
Schools judged outstanding for overall effectiveness before September 2024 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 by July 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 aspects of the school’s work may not be as strong as at the time of the previous inspection, we will normally carry out a graded inspection within the next 12 months or as soon as possible after that. In all cases, this will be before 1 August 2026.
Schools judged requires improvement for overall effectiveness before September 2024
A school judged as requires improvement for overall effectiveness at its last inspection before September 2024 will usually receive a graded inspection again within 2.5 years.
From September 2024, if a school meets our threshold for monitoring (as set out in the school inspection handbook) it will be eligible for routine 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 for any key or provision judgement
When we judge a school as inadequate for any key or provision judgement, 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 placed in a category of concern, we will monitor it. If an academy is subsequently 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 academy’s previous graded inspection report.
If a maintained nursery school or a non-maintained special school is placed in a category of concern, we will monitor it in the same way as an academy that is in a category of concern and that is not re-brokered to a new sponsor trust.
Who inspects schools?
School inspectors are:
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His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) employed directly by Ofsted
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contracted Ofsted Inspectors
Notice of an inspection
We will contact the school by telephone to announce a graded or ungraded inspection after 9.30am on a Monday morning. We may notify schools of an urgent or monitoring inspection on any day. If we have notified a school of an inspection that is subsequently deferred, we can notify that school of the new inspection date on any day of the week. If a school is open in a week that includes a bank holiday, we may notify the school on the Tuesday of that week.
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 school’s 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-planning conversation will be short and focused on practical issues. This is an opportunity for the headteacher to provide a fuller context of the school that may not be expressed sufficiently through data alone. It is also an opportunity for the headteacher to discuss the particular circumstances of the school that have had a role in the decisions made by leaders.
As part of this conversation, the lead inspector will also ask the headteacher to inform inspectors about any requests for adaptations to the inspection process because of a protected characteristic, or any reasonable adjustments because of a disability. They will also make the school aware of the help and support for headteacher and staff well-being that is available through the charity Education Support.
The educationally focused conversation will normally last around 90 minutes but may be longer. It will help the lead inspector and headteacher to establish a constructive professional relationship for the inspection and give them a shared understanding of the starting point of the inspection.
The lead inspector will encourage the headteacher to have at least one other senior leader present during both calls, to assist and support them. This will usually be colleagues who typically deputise for them (or a member of trust staff) and who can understand and discuss the educational content of the calls. They may also wish to have someone present to take notes.
Before the inspection begins
We provide schools with a letter to tell all parents of pupils at the school about the inspection and options for providing their views. We also ask schools to notify other relevant bodies, including those providing alternative provision for pupils, of the inspection.
Leaflet for schools
Please read and act on the guidance in our .
This leaflet lists the information and documents that inspectors will need to see before and during the inspection.
You will need to submit some of this information through the provider portal.
We will send you your username and password for the portal separately.
Inspectors will look at Ofsted Parent View to see the views of parents.
Inspectors will also take into account the results of any past parent surveys, or other surveys, carried out by the school. Parents can tell Ofsted about their child’s school at any time using Ofsted Parent View.
During the inspection
The inspection will normally last 2 full days. Inspections of good primary schools and good or outstanding maintained nursery schools with less than 150 pupils will normally last for 1 day. The number of inspectors on the inspection team will vary according to the size and nature of the school.
Inspectors will spend most of their time observing lessons and gathering evidence to inform their judgements.
Inspectors will talk to a range of pupils and staff about important aspects of the school’s work. 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.
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 pupils. If inspectors see or suspect that a staff member (including leaders and the headteacher) 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 there are serious concerns, inspectors will contact the duty desk, and will normally inform those responsible for the person’s well-being.
There may be exceptional occasions when a pause to inspection needs to be considered. We will consider these on a case-by-case basis according to our published guidance on pausing school inspections.
Inspectors will make their final judgements when they have collected and considered all the evidence.
At the heart of our inspections is a professional dialogue between inspectors and leaders and so the lead inspector will agree a process for keeping leaders informed of progress throughout the inspection. This will normally mean regular meetings with the headteacher and/or any other previously agreed school leader(s) (at a minimum, at the start, middle and end of each day) to ensure that the headteacher and senior staff:
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are kept up to date about the inspection
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understand how the inspection team reaches its judgements
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have opportunities to clarify how evidence is used to reach judgements
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on day 1, have the opportunity to present evidence they want to draw inspectors’ attention to
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are able to provide clarification on any matters of fact
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at the end of day 1, can contribute to the construction of the day 2 timetable
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can raise any issues or concerns, or to seek clarification, including related to the conduct of the inspection or of individual inspectors
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are alert to any serious concerns
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are informed if, by the end of day 1 or during day 2, there is emerging evidence that a key or provision judgement is likely to be inadequate or requires improvement
Inspectors will invite the school’s headteacher, curriculum leaders and other leaders to take part in joint visits to lessons, as agreed with the lead inspector.
Inspectors will also invite the headteacher (and for an academy, the chief executive officer) to attend the final team meeting at the end of the inspection. The headteacher or chief executive officer may also bring colleagues to assist and support them during this meeting. If the feedback is likely to be challenging or is likely to raise difficult issues, the lead inspector will be sensitive to any implications arising from this feedback and will therefore discuss with the headteacher which other people may attend to ensure the necessary support for school leaders. Attendance at the feedback meeting is voluntary and any attendee may leave at any time, including leaving for a short time and then returning.
Inspectors will give oral feedback to teachers and other staff about the work that they see.
Inspection and the COVID-19 pandemic
Our approach to inspection will take into account the COVID-19 pandemic and the disruption it has caused to schools. Inspectors will discuss the impact of the pandemic with the school, including how the school leadership responded to the situation, and will take that into account in their assessment of the school.
Suspending inspections to allow a school to resolve issues with safeguarding
If, on a graded inspection, inspectors consider that safeguarding is likely to be ineffective, the action they take will depend on the school’s wider context:
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if, had safeguarding arrangements been judged effective, the school would still have at least one judgement graded requires improvement or inadequate, the inspection will conclude as normal
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if, had safeguarding arrangements been judged effective, all judgements would have been good or outstanding, inspectors will need to consider, based on the information available to them at that time, whether leaders are capable of resolving the issues identified with safeguarding within 3 months. If they consider that this is the case, the inspection will be suspended to give the school an opportunity to resolve those issues and we will return within 3 months. The school will not be placed in a category of concern at this stage, as the inspection will not have concluded. We will send a letter to the school, copied to the Secretary of State, setting this out and explaining the next steps. In order to be able to suspend the inspection, inspectors will need the school to agree, before the suspension is confirmed, that they will pass this letter to parents. We will return to the school, as set out in our gathering additional evidence policy, to complete the inspection by gathering additional evidence on whether safeguarding arrangements are effective
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if there are no wider concerns (as set out in the first bullet), but inspectors consider that there is not a realistic prospect that leaders will be capable of resolving the issues identified with safeguarding within 3 months, they will conclude the inspection as normal and judge the school to have serious weaknesses
Feedback
At the final feedback meeting, the lead inspector must make clear:
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the grades awarded for each key judgement and any provision judgements
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that these grades are provisional and may be subject to change following quality assurance procedures or moderation
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that the written report will mention the main points in the feedback
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how the report will be published
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if relevant, the implications of the school being judged requires improvement for any key or provision judgement
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if relevant, the implications of the school being placed in special measures or deemed to have serious weaknesses
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that, if we have decided to suspend the inspection, we will deem the inspection incomplete. Inspectors will explain that the school will not be placed in a category of concern at this point, as the inspection has not concluded
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that, in addition to being able to raise concerns at any stage during the inspection, the school has an opportunity to raise any issues or concerns, or to seek clarification about the inspection at this stage, and can contact Ofsted on the working day after the end of inspection, if needed
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the complaints procedure
The inspection team will explain its judgements to the senior leadership team and those responsible for the governance of the school. Attendance at the feedback meeting is voluntary and any attendee may leave at any time, including leaving for a short time and then returning.
We expect leaders to share the inspection outcomes and findings with whoever they deem appropriate. Leaders may share inspection outcomes, in confidence, with others who are not involved with the school. This may include leaders’ colleagues, family members, medical advisers, and/or their wider support group. However, the information should not be made public or shared with parents.
After the inspection visit
The lead inspector will write a report setting out the inspection findings. Inspection reports are sent to the school following moderation and quality assurance. We aim to send reports to schools as quickly as reasonably possible. In most circumstances, we will send the draft report to the school within 18 working days of the end of the inspection.
The school will have 5 working days to comment on the draft report. It can highlight minor points relating to the clarity and/or factual accuracy of the report, or it can submit a formal complaint seeking a review of the inspection process, including the judgements made or concerns about inspector conduct. If it only submits minor points of clarity or factual accuracy, we will consider and respond to these when we share the final report with the school. This will normally be within 30 working days of the end of the inspection. As set out above, we expect leaders to share the inspection outcome and findings with governors/trustees and whoever they deem appropriate.
If the school wishes to make a formal complaint, we will follow the process set out in our published complaints procedure. We will respond to any complaint before we finalise and send the report to the school. If the school has previously chosen to highlight some minor points of clarity or factual accuracy on the draft inspection report, it will not normally be able to submit a formal complaint or challenge later. We will publish the final report on our reports website 5 working days after sending it to the school.
In most circumstances, we will publish the final report on the Ofsted reports website within 35 working days of the end of the inspection. If the school has submitted a complaint, the publication of the report may be delayed.
We send a copy of the report to:
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the school’s headteacher
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the local authority
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the appropriate authority or proprietor (for example, the governing body or the academy trust where the local authority is not the appropriate authority)
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the person or body responsible for appointing foundation governors if the school has them (including diocesan or other appropriate authorities in the case of schools with a religious character)
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other prescribed persons such as the Department for Education or the Education and Skills Funding Agency
The school must also supply a copy of the report to all parents of registered pupils at the school.
When a graded inspection is suspended to allow a school to resolve issues with safeguarding, we will not write or publish a report at this stage as the inspection has not concluded. Instead, we will send a letter to the school, copied to the Secretary of State, setting this out and explaining the next steps. In order to be able to suspend the inspection, inspectors will need the school to agree, before the suspension is confirmed, that they will pass this letter to parents. When we return to the school to complete the inspection by gathering additional evidence, the inspection will conclude. We will then write and publish a report as normal.
Graded and ungraded inspections
Ofsted’s education inspection framework came into effect in September 2019.
Under the framework, for graded inspections, inspectors will make the following judgements about schools:
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quality of education
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behaviour and attitudes
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personal development
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leadership and management
If the school offers early years provision and sixth-form provision, inspectors will also make judgements on these areas.
Until September 2024, graded inspections of schools included an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the above key judgements and any provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.
Inspectors use the following 4-point scale to make all judgements:
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outstanding
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good
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requires improvement
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inadequate
Information to share with inspectors
Schools are not expected to prepare anything extra for inspectors, but the lead inspector will ask the school to provide certain information as early as possible. This will include:
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a copy of the school’s timetable(s), where relevant
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details of any relevant staff absence
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any requests to not visit any specific lesson or lessons (for example, if a teacher is subject to capability procedures)
We will request that the following information is available at the start of the inspection:
- strategic documents about the school, including:
- anything that sets out school improvement planning or the longer-term vision for the school, such as the school or the trust’s strategy
- for maintained schools, minutes of governors’ meetings and other relevant strategic documentation about governance that the school may have
- for academies, minutes of board of trustees’ meetings and other relevant strategic documentation about the trust that the school may have
- a summary of any school self-evaluation or equivalent
- any reports from any external evaluation of the school
- records and information about behaviour and attendance, including:
- up-to-date attendance analysis for all groups of pupils
- records and analysis of pupils taken off roll
- records and analysis of exclusions and suspensions, incidents of poor behaviour and any use of internal isolation
- records and analysis of bullying, discriminatory and prejudiced behaviour, either directly or indirectly, including racist, sexist, disability and homophobic/biphobic/transphobic bullying, use of derogatory language and racist incidents
- records and analysis of sexual harassment and/or sexual violence
- records and analysis of any restrictive physical intervention.
- operational documents, including:
- access to wifi, if it exists, so that inspectors can connect to the internet
- maps and other practical information
- the school timetable, current staff list (indicating any early career teachers (ECTs), mentors and induction tutors) and times for the school day, including any planned interruptions to normal school routines during the inspection and whether any teachers cannot be observed for any reason
Safeguarding information
On arrival at the school, inspectors must have secure access to safeguarding information, including:
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the single central record for the school
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a list of any referrals made to the designated person for safeguarding in the school and those that were subsequently referred to the local authority, along with brief details of the resolution
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any referrals made to the local authority designated officer regarding staff or other adults
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a list of all pupils who have open cases with children’s services or social care and all pupils who have a multi-agency plan
Schools and inspectors must ensure that all actions are compliant with legal requirements on information-handling.
If any of this information is available before the inspection begins, you can upload it onto the inspection portal. We provide instructions for using the portal in the notification of inspection letter.
Inspectors will use a range of technology to gather evidence electronically, including mobile devices, tablets and laptops. They may also request to take photographic evidence, for example of pupils’ work and displays. Inspectors will not take photographs of pupils.
Seeking the views of parents, staff and pupils
Parents will give their views about their child’s school on Ofsted Parent View, which they can access at any time. This includes at the point of inspection, when we will provide them with a link to the Ofsted Parent View website.
Staff and pupils will be encouraged to complete a voluntary online survey, available at the point of inspection.
Any meetings with pupils or parents will take place without the presence of any leaders or staff unless there are exceptional circumstances.
More information about school inspections
The school inspection handbook explains how we carry out inspections and the judgements that inspectors make on graded inspections. It contains the grade descriptors that inspectors use when making their judgements. The handbook also explains how we carry out ungraded inspections and urgent inspections under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.
The school monitoring handbook explains how we carry out monitoring inspections of schools that were judged at their most recent graded inspection as requires improvement or as inadequate for at least one key or provision judgement.
The education inspection framework sets out the statutory basis for schools inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 (as amended).
Your views on the inspection
Following your inspection, we will invite you to complete an online inspection survey. The online survey asks for your views on the inspection process, including the impact that the inspection is likely to have in bringing about improvement. We value all survey responses. We use the outcomes to help keep us informed about the quality and impact of inspections and to help guide us in reviewing and improving the inspection process.
Complaints about an inspection
Any concerns or complaints about the inspection should be raised immediately with the lead inspector during the inspection.
If there are any concerns that it is not possible to resolve with the lead inspector during the inspection, the headteacher, another senior leader, the local authority or a trust representative can contact a senior Ofsted leader using the number provided as part of the notification process. In exceptional circumstances, this might lead to the inspection being paused.
If an issue remains unresolved, the school or responsible body can contact Ofsted on the working day after the end of the inspection. This is an opportunity for the school 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 a senior 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, or through a telephone call the day after the inspection, the school may wish to lodge a formal complaint when it receives the draft report. The lead inspector will ensure that the school is informed that it is able to make a formal complaint and that information about how to complain is available on GOV.UK.
Further guidance
You can access our guidance for inspections of maintained schools and academies.
Gathering personal information on inspection
Inspectors will gather any personal information necessary to assist them in inspecting a school. 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
Ofsted
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M1 2WD
Helpline: 0300 123 1231
Updates to this page
Last updated 7 October 2024 + show all updates
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The ‘Inspecting schools: guide for maintained and academy schools’ and the ‘Leaflet for schools’ pdf have been updated to align with changes made to the school inspection handbook and monitoring inspection handbook on 16 September 2024. Changes include that from September 2024, graded inspections of state-funded schools will not include an overall effectiveness grade. Other updates have been made regarding ungraded inspections, notification periods and to reflect a new policy on suspending inspections to allow a school to resolve issues with safeguarding. Updates have also been made to how schools are placed in a category of concern, our monitoring processes for schools falling below Ofsted’s monitoring threshold, and to reflect the removal of early monitoring inspections from the school monitoring handbook. The ‘Leaflet for schools’ pdf has also been updated to reflect that we are not planning to conduct any aligned inspections of boarding and residential special schools in the 2024/25 academic year, except in exceptional circumstances. In addition, when aligned inspections resume from September 2025, they will not apply to ungraded inspections.
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The ‘Inspecting schools: guide for maintained and academy schools’ and the ‘Leaflet for schools’ PDF have been updated throughout to align with changes made to the school inspection handbook on 5 April 2024. Changes include clarifications about welfare support available to schools, and opportunities to provide information on and/or discuss potential equalities duties, including reasonable adjustments for individuals. Clarifications have also been made in regards to Ofsted’s policy for pausing inspections, and updated arrangements for handling concerns and complaints in line with Ofsted’s new complaints policy.
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Updated the guidance and 'Leaflet for schools' PDF throughout to align with changes made to the school inspection handbook on 19 January 2024.
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Updated the leaflet for schools to clarify the monitoring process for schools judged as requires improvement and inadequate. We’ve also updated the information on inspection intervals in the guide and the leaflet.
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Updated to reflect the names of inspection types (graded and ungraded). Minor addition to make schools aware of Ofsted's updated code of conduct, which sets out the expectations of all inspectors and schools during inspections.
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Updated to clarify inspection intervals.
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Updated to reflect changes to inspection intervals following the pandemic.
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Updated the 'Schools judged ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’' section and added a new section about inspection and the COVID-19 pandemic. Minor changes to 'After the inspection visit' to reflect new timescales. Updated the leaflet for schools.
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Added the leaflet for schools: for maintained schools and academies to prepare for an inspection.
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First published.