Guidance

Withdrawn: School inspection handbook

Guidance for inspecting schools under the common inspection framework, with a mythbuster document on common misconceptions.

From:
Ofsted
Published
15 June 2015
Last updated
17 July 2018 — See all updates

This publication was withdrawn on

View the current education inspection framework and handbooks.

Applies to England

Documents

Withdrawn: School inspection handbook

PDF, 1.2 MB, 79 pages

Ofsted inspections: myths

PDF, 295 KB, 6 pages

Details

This relates to the common inspection framework, which we used until September 2019. We now inspect under the education inspection framework.

Anything relating to the old framework will remain online until October 2019 for reference purposes only.

Updates to this page

Published 15 June 2015
Last updated 17 July 2018 + show all updates

  1. Updated handbook: added privacy notice information, updated ‘Inspection of religious education and collective worship’ section (in annex). Updated ‘Clarification for schools/Ofsted inspection myths' document: added new information in 'Evidence for inspection section' about attainment, added new sections on performance management, safeguarding, and the curriculum.

  2. Updated paragraphs 21 and 23 to clarify that good schools are now inspected approximately every 4 years.

  3. Paragraph 17 has been amended to clarify the position for inspecting exempt schools.

  4. Updated for changes to 'Requires improvement' monitoring and changes arising from the second consultation on short inspections.

  5. Changes to the Outcomes for pupils section reflecting changes to GCSE grades and data reports (a new IDSR); updates to Clarification for schools section and mythbuster document around myths and misunderstandings; clarification of arrangements for meeting relevant members of the governance structure and inclusion of chief executives or equivalents in inspections of academies in multi-academy trusts; and new content explaining what happens to schools that receive the ‘requires improvement’ and ‘inadequate’ judgements.

  6. Link to latest inspection blog post with summary of changes to handbook.

  7. Updated to reflect changes in legislation.

  8. Added HTML version of inspection myths document.

  9. Updated clarification document for schools added. This document has been updated to reflect the handbook for use from September 2015.

  10. Final document for use from September 2015 published.

  11. First published.

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