Ofsted

The latest news and analysis on the schools inspectorate in England, including inspection and curriculum policy and reports

Friday

27th Jun 2025

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

Ofsted’s big plans are a dog’s dinner
Hopes of positive change at Ofsted were high when Sir Martyn Oliver was appointed – but the current plans for new inspections, and the timetable for introduction, are unworkable, writes ASCL chief Pepe Di’Iasio
Dog with food bowl

Wednesday

11th Jun 2025

Ofsted delay: Sir Martyn’s and Bridget Phillipson’s letters
Read the full exchange between the Ofsted chief and the education secretary on the ‘regrettable’ and ‘disappointing’ delay in the watchdog providing its consultation response
Westminster
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

6th Jun 2025

Ofsted considers national team to lead on SEND inspections
Ofsted and the CQC will also consider moving to a report-card system for SEND area checks when the current cycle of inspections ends
Ofsted inspection

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

Tuesday

13th May 2025

SEND: Ofsted urged to check if schools meet legal duties
The watchdog’s focus on inclusion in schools under its proposed new inspection framework should be strengthened, MPs are told
Ofsted checks

Monday

12th May 2025

Ofsted consultation response ‘later than hoped’ but no plan to delay inspections
Staff have been told the inspectorate’s response to its consultation will likely be later than it had planned but that it is not looking to delay its new inspections
People waiting at a bus stop
Exclusive

Friday

9th May 2025

Heads legally powerless to avoid Ofsted report card inspections
The NAHT has taken legal action against Ofsted’s recent consultation. But, regardless of the outcome, schools will have to participate in inspections, say legal experts
Heads legally powerless to avoid Ofsted report card inspections