Changes to education inspection from September 2015
Details of the changes to how Ofsted will inspect early years provision, schools and further education and skills from September 2015.
Ofsted launched far-reaching changes to the way it inspects early years provision, schools and further education and skills. These changes came into effect in September 2015 and included:
- the introduction of a common inspection framework for all early years settings on the Early Years Register, maintained schools and academies, non-association independent schools and further education and skills providers
- short inspections for maintained schools, academies and further education and skills providers that were judged good at their last full inspection, conducted approximately every 3 years
- significant changes to Ofsted’s inspection workforce: after September 2015, Ofsted contracts directly with inspectors for maintained schools, academies, non-association independent schools and further education and skills inspections
The changes were a result of the consultation ‘Better inspection for all’ and subsequent response.
New inspection documents
The new common inspection framework and handbooks for Ofsted inspectors came into effect from September 2015 for the inspection of schools, further education and skills and early years provision:
- The common inspection framework: education, skills and early years from September 2015
- School inspection handbook from September 2015
- School inspection handbook for inspections under Section 8 of the Education Act 2005 from September 2015
- Further education and skills inspection handbook from September 2015
- Early years inspection handbook from September 2015
- Non-association independent school inspection handbook from September 2015
- Inspecting safeguarding in early years, education and skills from September 2015
Explaining the changes
Read a summary of the changes:
Materials from the national launch events
Throughout June and July 2015 Ofsted held a series of 8 national launch events. These gave education leaders and practitioners an opportunity to learn more about the changes.
Read the keynote speech by Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw. Sir Michael Wilshaw introduces the changes and sets out how great leadership is at the heart of the reforms.
View slides from briefing sessions on the common inspection framework, schools, early years and further education and skills: