Inspection

The latest news, analysis and opinion on inspections at schools in the UK and overseas, from updates to inspection frameworks and guidance on how to prepare

Thursday

3rd Jul 2025

Ofsted chief apologises for short notice on new inspections
Sir Martyn Oliver says he’s sorry that schools will get less than a term’s notice before new-style inspections with report cards are introduced
Ofsted chief Sir Martyn Oliver has apologised for short notice on the introduction of new school inspections

Friday

27th Jun 2025

7 findings from survey on working lives of teachers and school leaders
DfE publishes full report – including findings on behaviour, inspection and flexible working – of its 2024 survey
7 findings from survey on working lives of teachers and school leaders
How Ofsted will inspect the impact of AI use in schools
Ofsted releases information for schools on how it will look at the effect of artificial intelligence on teaching and learning – but says it does not yet have enough evidence to define good use of AI
Ofsted has explained how it will inspect the impact of AI use in schools

Thursday

26th Jun 2025

Ofsted inspection teams to be more ‘context-aware’
Watchdog announces change to ensure that inspection teams have experience of the type of setting they are inspecting, in response to concerns raised in consultation
Ofsted says its school inspection teams will be more 'context-aware'

Tuesday

24th Jun 2025

Unions could ask school leaders to quit as Ofsted inspectors
ASCL and NAHT set out ‘unprecedented step’ being considered in letter to education secretary
Magnifying glass with exit

Monday

23rd Jun 2025

Ofsted delay puts ‘unacceptable pressure’ on schools, Phillipson told
Giving schools less than a term’s notice of a new inspection framework is ‘entirely unjustifiable’, unions warn the education secretary
Magnifying glass with pressure valves

Friday

20th Jun 2025

How many schools are there in the UK?
Find the latest data on the number of UK schools, plus details on governing bodies, curricula, inspections and more
bib number of schools

Thursday

19th Jun 2025

How MAT inspections could work - and why we should want them
The whole education sector – and parents, too – would benefit from a ‘carefully designed and sensitively implemented’ inspection system for MATs, claims this CEO
Microscope on desk with book

Wednesday

11th Jun 2025

Ofsted inspection plan delay sparks Phillipson rebuke
Education secretary tells Sir Martyn Oliver it is ‘disappointing’ that Ofsted has delayed its consultation response on changes to the inspection system – with new inspections due to start next term
Oliver and Phillipson
Exclusive
Dame Christine Gilbert to be appointed chair of Ofsted’s board
Former chief inspector, who led a major review into Ofsted, has been selected as chair of the schools watchdog
Dame Christine Gilbert Ofsted

Friday

23rd May 2025

Ofsted report card inspections ‘too short for reliable judgement’
School leaders involved in trials of Ofsted’s planned new inspection system warn about the volume of work to be done in one and a half days
Ofsted inspection
Exclusive

Thursday

22nd May 2025

Revealed: top inspection ratings out of reach for Scottish schools
Only seven schools have been rated ‘excellent’ for learning and teaching since 2016, according to a Tes investigation uncovering more than eight years of inspection findings
inspection ratings out of reach
Exclusive