Ofsted’s work with schools

Education Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 9 Jun 2023 Closed: 24 May 2024 Parliament page
The Education Committee has launched an inquiry into Ofsted’s work with schools. The inquiry aims to assess how well Ofsted is fulfilling its role in inspecting schools and whether and how it could be improved, to inform the work of the incoming His Majesty’s Chief Inspector. The inquiry will look … Read more
8 Recommendations
41 Conclusions
1 Report
3 Oral sessions
3 Events
Activity timeline 9 events
25 Apr
2024
Report published
11 Mar
2024
Report published
29 Jan
2024
Report published
8 Nov
2023
Oral evidence
8 Nov
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 15, Palace of Westminster
24 Oct
2023
Oral evidence
24 Oct
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 15, Palace of Westminster
17 Oct
2023
Oral evidence
17 Oct
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 15, Palace of Westminster
Oral evidence sessions 3 sessions
8 Nov 2023
View on parliament.uk
Ofsted's work with schools
Amanda Spielman · Ofsted Juliet Chua · Department for Education Rt Hon Nick Gibb · Department for Education
24 Oct 2023
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Ofsted’s work with schools
Carole Willis · National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) Dr Bernardita Munoz Chereau · UCL Centre for Educational Leadership Dr Sam Sims · UCL Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunities Natalie Perera · Education Policy Institute Sir Michael Wilshaw, Former HMCI The Rt Hon. the Lord Knight of Weymouth · Beyond Ofsted inquiry
17 Oct 2023
View on parliament.uk
Ofsted’s work with schools
Charlotte Rainer · Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition Daniel Kebede · National Education Union Ian Hartwright · National Association of Head Teachers Jason Elsom · Parentkind Sam Henson · National Governance Association Steve Rollett · Confederation of School Trusts Tom Middlehurst · Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL)
Title HC No. Published Items Response
First Report - Ofsted’s work with schools HC 117 29 Jan 2024 49 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
49 results
1 Conclusion Accepted
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
There is general agreement among teachers, school leaders, parents, teaching unions and other organisations on...
There is general agreement among teachers, school leaders, parents, teaching unions and other organisations on the important role that an independent inspectorate plays, and on the need for strong accountability for schools. However, it is clear that relations between Ofsted … Read more
Government Response
The government confirms the launch of the "Big Listen" initiative, outlining its scope to gather feedback from various stakeholders to inform future improvements in inspection and regulation, with a commitment to taking action immediately after it concludes.
Department for Education
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2 Conclusion Accepted
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Following the tragic death of Ruth Perry, Ofsted has taken some steps to address the...
Following the tragic death of Ruth Perry, Ofsted has taken some steps to address the concerns raised about the school inspection process. The changes announced are welcome but these announcements, in and of themselves, do not appear to have alleviated … Read more
Government Response
The government committed to appointing an independent expert this month to lead a learning review of Ofsted’s response to Ruth Perry's death, considering policy revisions, and will respond to these recommendations as part of the Big Listen.
Department for Education
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3 Conclusion Accepted
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Ensure HMCI listens to diverse sector views and Ofsted reflects on necessary improvements.
In his “Big Listen” with the sector, the new HMCI must ensure that he is listening to a wide range of views, including those of teachers, school and trust leaders, governors, parents, and pupils. In doing this, he must ensure … Read more
Government Response
The government states the "Big Listen" was launched to hear from a wide range of stakeholders, including parents, professionals, and Ofsted staff, emphasizing openness to criticism and a commitment to reflect and learn from diverse views.
Department for Education
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4 Recommendation Accepted in Part
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Require Ofsted to urgently address seven concerns from Ruth Perry's coroner's report and report progress.
The serious nature of a Prevention of Future Deaths report will not be lost on the new HMCI. We expect him to make every effort to address the coroner’s report fully. Ofsted should review the seven areas of concern set … Read more
Government Response
The government states it has responded fully to the coroner’s report and committed to appointing an independent expert this month to lead a learning review of Ofsted’s policies regarding tragic incidents. They will respond to this review's recommendations as part of the Big Listen, but do not explicitly commit to reporting to the committee every six months.
Department for Education
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5 Conclusion Deferred
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Current inspection length inadequate, prompting case for reduced frequency to increase depth.
There is broad agreement that inspections are not currently long enough to cover the full framework and give an accurate picture of a school’s performance. We accept that, in a context of finite funding, any increase to the length of … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the committee's view on trading inspection frequency for depth but highlights legislative constraints and concerns about reduced standards with less frequent inspections. They state the "Big Listen" will gather diverse views to inform any future changes without committing to a specific change.
Department for Education
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6 Conclusion Rejected
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Reduce Ofsted inspection frequency for schools to enable greater depth and better risk assessment.
In the shorter term, the Department should work with Ofsted to enable the inspectorate to reduce the frequency of inspections to approximately five to six years for ‘good’ and ‘outstanding’ schools and three to four years for schools judged ‘requires … Read more
Government Response
The government states that inspection frequency is set by legislation, arguing that the current 5-year interval provides reassurance to parents and that less frequent inspections could reduce standards. While the "Big Listen" will explore these issues, they do not commit to the recommended reduction in inspection frequency.
Department for Education
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7 Conclusion Accepted
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Support Ofsted in making a case for additional Treasury funding for in-depth inspections.
In the longer term, the Department should support Ofsted in making a strong case to the Treasury for additional funding to carry out more in-depth inspections, without compromising on frequency or the principle that all schools are subject to periodic … Read more
Government Response
The government welcomes the committee's support for seeking additional funding for more in-depth inspections and outlines how such funding could be used, including a cost estimate of £8.5 million per year.
Department for Education
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8 Conclusion Acknowledged
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Current short inspection notice period causes operational difficulties and increased stress for schools.
We have heard a range of views as to the appropriate notice period for inspections and accept that this is an issue that is difficult to fully resolve. While we do not believe that there should be a return to … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges that notice periods cause diverse views and operational difficulties, stating the "Big Listen" will reflect on current approaches and consider potential changes to find the right balance, with action to follow its conclusion.
Department for Education
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9 Conclusion Accepted
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Consider increasing school inspection notice period to approximately five working days.
Ofsted should consider the case for a small increase in the notice period given to schools—we heard suggestions that around five working days would be appropriate. The notice period should remain relatively short in order to limit the pressure on … Read more
Government Response
The government states the "Big Listen" will carefully consider potential changes to notice periods for schools, including the suggested increase and offering a specific inspection term, affirming that nothing is off the table for discussion.
Department for Education
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10 Conclusion Accepted
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Consider longer notice periods or deferral flexibility for smaller schools facing challenges.
Ofsted should consider whether smaller schools could be given a longer notice period or greater flexibility around deferrals to take into account the particular operational challenges they face during inspections.
Government Response
The government acknowledges the challenges faced by small primary schools and commits to considering the proposal for longer notice periods or greater flexibility for them during the "Big Listen," despite initial concerns about fair implementation.
Department for Education
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11 Conclusion Deferred
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Short inspection timeframes limit stakeholder engagement and reduce focus on school governance.
The short timeframe of inspections does not allow for in-depth engagement with different groups in the inspection process. While we do not believe that Ofsted should introduce feedback meetings with parents following an inspection, there is a case to be … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the vital importance of engagement and already aims to talk to staff and governors, but defers further improvements and reporting methods to be explored through the 'Big Listen' consultation, with action planned after its conclusion.
Department for Education
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12 Conclusion Deferred
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Improve Ofsted's engagement with stakeholders and coverage of governance in inspection reports.
Ofsted should explore ways in which it can improve its engagement with parents, pupils, governors, and trustees before and during the inspection process, ensuring that opportunities are well-communicated and that those with additional needs 50 Ofsted’s work with schools are … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the vital role of engagement and states it already aims to talk to staff and governors, but defers exploring further improvements and how to report them to the 'Big Listen' consultation, with action planned after its conclusion.
Department for Education
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13 Conclusion Deferred
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Introduce regular surveys of parents, pupils, and staff to inform inspection risk assessments.
Ofsted should introduce regular surveys of parents, pupils and staff outside the inspection process and use this information as part of its risk assessment to identify schools most or least in need of inspection.
Government Response
The government commits to reviewing its current risk assessment model, but defers the specific recommendation to introduce regular surveys of parents, pupils, and staff to be explored through the 'Big Listen' consultation.
Department for Education
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14 Conclusion Acknowledged
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Ofsted inspectors' lack of phase-specific expertise hinders effective assessment and feedback.
We are concerned that the lack of relevant phase-specific expertise among inspectors appears to be a widespread problem, particularly in primary schools and in specialist education settings. A high-quality inspection regime must ensure that inspectors have sufficient expertise to be … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the importance of matching inspector expertise to the phase of education inspected and expresses an ambition to improve this, including discussing the issue further through the 'Big Listen'.
Department for Education
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15 Recommendation Accepted
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Publish data on inspectors' phase and subject expertise, including leadership of inspections.
Ofsted should publish data on HMIs’ and contracted Ofsted inspectors’ expertise regarding phase of education and subject, and the proportion of inspections led by at least one inspector with the relevant phase expertise.
Government Response
The government states it has already taken action regarding this recommendation by further developing existing inspector pen portraits to describe expertise within the workforce.
Department for Education
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16 Conclusion Deferred
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Ensure inspectors' expertise matches phases/subjects, target recruitment gaps, and mandate lead inspector expertise.
Ofsted must ensure that they are matching inspectors’ expertise with the appropriate phase and subject as much as possible, and ensure that their recruitment processes are targeting particular gaps in expertise. At a minimum, they must ensure that the lead … Read more
Government Response
The government states its ambition to match inspector expertise to the appropriate phase and subject wherever possible, acknowledging benefits and challenges, but defers further exploration and action to the 'Big Listen' consultation.
Department for Education
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17 Recommendation Rejected
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Commission independent assessment of factors affecting retention of experienced Ofsted HMIs.
We recognise the value and expertise that experienced inspectors can bring, particularly long-serving HMIs. Ofsted should commission an independent assessment of the factors affecting retention of experienced HMIs and take appropriate steps to address the issue. Read more
Government Response
The government rejects the recommendation to commission an independent assessment, stating it already understands HMI retention factors and does not believe it would be a good use of public money, citing salary constraints and workload as known issues.
Department for Education
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18 Conclusion Accepted in Part
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Improve Ofsted's transparency by publishing comprehensive information and data wherever possible.
We have heard that access to training materials gives school leaders working as inspectors a disproportionate advantage over those who do not, and that Ofsted does not make enough data available to qualified researchers. While we accept that Ofsted publishes … Read more
Government Response
The government commits to publishing all training materials unless there is a strong reason not to, noting that much is already public and some is withheld due to context or external ownership. They also intend to publish data wherever possible.
Department for Education
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19 Conclusion Accepted in Part
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Publish more data for researchers and all inspector training materials for transparency.
Ofsted must ensure that it is publishing as much information as possible to maximise the transparency of its work. In particular, it must make more data available to key educational research organisations to allow for high-quality research to be conducted. … Read more
Government Response
The government commits to publishing all training materials unless there is a strong reason not to, explaining that some material is already public or withheld due to context. They also intend to publish training material and data wherever possible.
Department for Education
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20 Conclusion Acknowledged
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Ofsted inspection reports are too short, formulaic, and lack useful information for schools.
There is widespread agreement amongst schools, governing bodies and other organisations that inspection reports are too short and formulaic and do not provide enough useful information, particularly for schools. Targeting the reports at a parent audience means that schools do … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the importance of inspection reports and the trade-offs made due to funding, which leads to shorter reports focused on parents. It is keen to discuss report effectiveness with the sector through the 'Big Listen' consultation.
Department for Education
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21 Conclusion Deferred
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Increase length and depth of analysis in inspection reports for parents and schools.
As part of our recommended increase to the length and depth of inspections, we also recommend that Ofsted increase the length and depth of analysis provided in inspection reports to ensure that they are genuinely useful in providing parents and … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the importance of inspection reports but states current reports are designed to be short due to funding priorities. They commit to discussing how to improve reports with parents and the sector through their 'Big Listen' consultation, with action to be taken after it concludes.
Department for Education
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22 Conclusion Deferred
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Ofsted's single-word judgements are widely criticised for oversimplifying school performance.
Evidence from groups representing teachers, school leaders, parents and pupils was highly critical of Ofsted’s single-word overall judgements. There is much concern that they simplify the complex environment of a school and the many efforts of its leadership and staff … Read more
Government Response
The government states that matters concerning inspection grades and broader reform fall to the Department for Education (DfE) rather than Ofsted, committing only to engage with the DfE on these issues.
Department for Education
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23 Conclusion Deferred
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Develop an alternative to single-word overall judgements for complex school performance assessments.
The Department and Ofsted should work together as a priority to develop an alternative to the current single-word overall judgement that better captures the complex nature of a school’s performance, and ensure that these changes interact effectively with Department policies. … Read more
Government Response
The government states that developing an alternative to single-word judgements is a matter for the Department for Education (DfE), not Ofsted, and commits to engaging with the DfE on it.
Department for Education
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24 Conclusion Accepted
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Require Ofsted and DfE to publish full school inspection judgements on their websites.
As a first step, Ofsted and Department for Education websites should always show the full list of judgements, not just the overall judgement, and encourage schools to do the same on their websites and published materials.
Government Response
The government states it is actively working on new policies and practices, including making changes to its website to show the full range of judgements rather than just overall effectiveness grades, directly addressing the recommendation.
Department for Education
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25 Conclusion Deferred
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
High-stakes inspection system causes significant stress and job insecurity for school leaders.
The ‘high-stakes’ nature of the current system is clearly causing a significant amount of stress and worry for school leaders. In particular, there is an overwhelming fear among headteachers that they risk losing their job following a less than ‘good’ … Read more
Government Response
The government states that the issues of proportionate consequences of inspection and suitable support mechanisms for leaders are matters for the Department for Education (DfE), not Ofsted, and commits to engaging with the DfE on them.
Department for Education
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26 Recommendation Deferred
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Assess proportionality of academy orders imposed on schools with consecutive 'requires improvement' ratings.
The Department should assess whether the decision to impose academy orders on schools that have received ‘requires improvement’ ratings on more than one occasion 52 Ofsted’s work with schools is proportionate. As a first step, it should ensure that Regional … Read more
Government Response
The government states that assessing the proportionality of academy orders and publishing related guidance for Regional Directors is a matter for the Department for Education (DfE), not Ofsted, and commits to engaging with the DfE on these issues.
Department for Education
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27 Recommendation Accepted
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Review and strengthen support mechanisms for school leaders' wellbeing during and after inspections.
The Department and Ofsted should review the support mechanisms available to school leaders during and following an inspection and ensure that these are as strong as possible to support the wellbeing of school leaders. Ofsted must publish a clear policy, … Read more
Government Response
The government has provided mental health awareness training for all lead inspectors and committed to ensuring all inspection staff complete it by March 2024. They have also published a new policy allowing inspection pauses for headteacher support, directly addressing key aspects of the recommendation.
Department for Education
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28 Conclusion Deferred
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Insufficient and delayed support available for schools following negative inspection judgements.
We have heard that there is not enough support for schools to improve following a negative inspection judgement, and that the support available does not always arrive as quickly as is needed. We recognise that the role of school improvement … Read more
Government Response
The government states that providing support for schools to improve following a negative inspection judgement is a matter for the Department for Education (DfE), not Ofsted, and commits to engaging with the DfE on this.
Department for Education
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29 Conclusion Deferred
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Inadequate scrutiny of the regional system for school improvement and Regional Directors.
It is essential that there is proper scrutiny of the regional system of school improvement. We do not agree with the former Schools Minister’s view that it is sufficient to scrutinise Regional Directors solely through parliamentary scrutiny of ministers. Read more
Government Response
The government states that improving the transparency and accountability of Regional Directors' work (related to scrutiny of the regional system) is a matter for the Department for Education (DfE), not Ofsted, and commits to engaging with the DfE on it.
Department for Education
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30 Conclusion Deferred
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Conduct a full audit of school improvement support and expedite provision post-judgement.
The Department must conduct a full audit of the support available to schools to help them improve, reviewing whether the amount of support is sufficient and what more is needed. In the interim, the Department should ensure that all schools … Read more
Government Response
The government states that conducting an audit of school support, developing a 'one-stop shop', and ensuring timely support after negative judgements are matters for the Department for Education (DfE), not Ofsted, and commits to engaging with the DfE on these issues.
Department for Education
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31 Conclusion Deferred
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Improve transparency and accountability of Regional Directors' work and provide parliamentary reports.
The Department must improve the transparency and accountability of the work of the Regional Directors. At a minimum, it should provide an annual report to Parliament setting out the scope, detail and impact of their work and make Regional Directors … Read more
Government Response
The government states that this recommendation, concerning the transparency and accountability of Regional Directors, is a matter for the DfE, not Ofsted, and commits to engaging with the DfE on it.
Department for Education
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32 Conclusion Deferred
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Ofsted's complaints process is ineffective and lacks sufficient independent oversight.
We have received substantial evidence suggesting that Ofsted’s complaints process is not seen to be working and amounts to Ofsted “marking their own homework”. The changes announced in Ofsted’s consultation on the process are welcome, and we particularly welcome the … Read more
Government Response
The government highlights existing changes to the complaints process and states that the majority of related recommendations, including addressing concerns about the complaints process, will be explored through the 'Big Listen' consultation, with action to follow its conclusion.
Department for Education
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33 Conclusion Accepted in Part
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Ofsted's complaints process lacks transparency and access to evidence for schools.
Schools have also told us that the complaints process is hampered by a lack of access to inspectors’ notes and documents that have been used to reach a conclusion. While we understand that there are considerations around confidentiality regarding these … Read more
Government Response
The government commits to providing percentages of complaints per inspection remit from 2024-25 and separating information about the proportion of inspections upheld by remit. It also states that improving transparency and understanding of judgements will be discussed with the sector as part of the 'Big Listen'.
Department for Education
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34 Conclusion Deferred
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Conduct in-depth review of the complaints process to ensure independent challenge for schools.
The Department for Education and Ofsted should conduct an in-depth review of the complaints process to ensure that there is an efficient and independent process for schools to challenge the findings as well as the conduct of an inspection. In … Read more
Government Response
The government refers to existing changes in the complaints process and states that the recommendation for an in-depth review and exploring an independent body will be explored through the 'Big Listen' consultation, with action to follow its conclusion.
Department for Education
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35 Conclusion Deferred
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Allow schools access to the evidence base for inspection judgements during complaints.
Ofsted must allow schools to gain access to the evidence base used to reach a judgement when making a complaint, making redactions to ensure that confidentiality and protection of the identity of individuals is maintained where this is necessary.
Government Response
The government commits to transparency and ensuring schools understand the reasoning behind judgements, stating they will discuss how to improve this with the sector as part of the 'Big Listen' consultation rather than immediately allowing access to the evidence base.
Department for Education
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36 Recommendation Accepted in Part
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Publish separate complaints data for each sector, including per inspection and upheld rates.
In its annual report and accounts, Ofsted should publish separate complaints data for each sector in their remit, including data on the number and percentage of complaints per inspection, whether these relate to conduct or judgements, and the percentage of … Read more
Government Response
The government states they already publish some complaints data and commit to providing percentages of complaints per inspection remit from 2024-25, and separating information about the proportion of inspections upheld by remit. They will also investigate the practicality of separating conduct and judgement complaints.
Department for Education
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37 Conclusion Deferred
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
New Education Inspection Framework causes inconsistency and concerns about imposed curriculum views.
There is broad support for the move away from a data-driven approach to one that is more focused on curriculum in the new Education Inspection Framework. However, there appear to be problems with how this has worked in practice, in … Read more
Government Response
The government intends to publish findings from its evaluation of the Education Inspection Framework as part of its response to the 'Big Listen', which will also gather further feedback from the sector and public on the framework and how context is considered.
Department for Education
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38 Conclusion Deferred
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
New framework unsuitable for primary, special, and small schools due to requirements.
There is also widespread concern that the new framework is less suitable for primary and special schools, particularly smaller schools, who are finding it more difficult to meet its requirements. We appreciate that any change to the framework causes additional … Read more
Government Response
The government refers to its upcoming evaluation of the Education Inspection Framework, which will be published as part of the 'Big Listen' response, and commits to gathering further feedback on the framework, including how context is considered for different school types.
Department for Education
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39 Recommendation Deferred
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Publish evaluation of the Education Inspection Framework, adapting for primary, special, and small schools.
Ofsted must publish their planned evaluation of the Education Inspection Framework as soon as possible. In this evaluation, Ofsted should review the implementation of the new framework, in particular looking at the impact it has had on primary schools, special … Read more
Government Response
The government states its intention to publish the findings from its evaluation of the Education Inspection Framework as part of its response to the 'Big Listen', which will also gather further feedback from the sector and public on the framework's implementation and impact.
Department for Education
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40 Conclusion Acknowledged
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Inspection-related workload pressures on teachers and leaders remain despite Ofsted's 'myth-busting'.
It is clear that many teachers and school leaders are struggling with workload pressures in their roles, which are exacerbated by perceptions of what Ofsted expects to see in inspections. There are also concerns that the new framework has caused … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges workload pressures and states the 'Big Listen' will gather feedback on the impact of inspection. It commits to evaluating how leaders address staff wellbeing and workload, and continuing efforts to reduce burdens associated with the inspection process.
Department for Education
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41 Conclusion Accepted in Part
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Undertake research to understand and reduce inspection-related workload pressures on school staff.
The Department and Ofsted must go further than simply ‘myth-busting’: they must undertake a programme of research to fully understand the causes of inspection- related workload pressure and assess what changes would be genuinely helpful in reducing this. The new … Read more
Government Response
The government states that the 'Big Listen' initiative will serve as a programme of research to gather feedback on the impact of inspection and is committed to reducing workload. They will evaluate how leaders address well-being and reduce workload as part of this.
Department for Education
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42 Conclusion Deferred
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Ofsted fails to adequately consider challenges for schools with disadvantaged and SEND pupils.
We were concerned by the suggestion that Ofsted does not sufficiently take into account the challenges faced by schools with high numbers of disadvantaged pupils or those with SEND. We appreciate that the 2019 inspection framework aimed to improve the … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the concern about considering context, stating that Sir Martyn has committed to considering context more and will discuss improvements as part of the 'Big Listen' initiative.
Department for Education
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43 Conclusion Deferred
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Ensure Ofsted inspectors fully account for school context, disadvantaged pupils, and SEND in judgements.
Ofsted must ensure that inspectors are fully taking a school’s size and context into account in reports and judgements, in particular the numbers of pupils from disadvantaged groups and those with SEND, and other relevant factors such as recruitment and … Read more
Government Response
The government states that considering school context more in judgments is a priority for Sir Martyn, and they will discuss how to improve this as part of the 'Big Listen' initiative.
Department for Education
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44 Conclusion Accepted
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Ofsted maintains essential role in ensuring schools address serious safeguarding concerns.
Safeguarding is an essential aspect of every school’s work. We agree that there is merit in schools being audited more regularly for compliance with safeguarding procedures, especially as we are recommending that some schools be inspected less frequently than is … Read more
Government Response
The government has already clarified what constitutes 'ineffective safeguarding', implemented rapid re-inspections for schools graded inadequate due to safeguarding, and is conducting a formal review into making safeguarding a standalone judgment.
Department for Education
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45 Conclusion Accepted
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Schools should not be judged inadequate for minor safeguarding administrative errors.
The inquest into the death of Ruth Perry also raised concerns about the policy of judging a school ‘inadequate’ solely due to safeguarding. We accept that this only applies to a small number of schools and that Ofsted has taken … Read more
Government Response
The government has clarified that a school will only be judged to have ineffective safeguarding when children are not safe, and has implemented rapid re-inspections for such cases, aiming to prevent 'inadequate' judgments for minor administrative errors. They are also reviewing the framework to potentially make safeguarding a standalone judgment.
Department for Education
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46 Conclusion Deferred
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Require the Department to consult on increasing safeguarding inspection regularity via compliance audits.
The Department should consult on the best approach to increasing the regularity of safeguarding inspections through a less intensive compliance audit. In doing so, Ofsted’s work with schools 55 it should look at whether this should be done by local … Read more
Government Response
The government states that this recommendation falls to the Department for Education (DfE), not Ofsted, and Ofsted will engage with the DfE on considering new approaches to inspecting safeguarding.
Department for Education
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47 Recommendation Accepted
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Review Ofsted's 'inadequate' safeguarding judgement policy, preventing academy orders for minor issues.
In the interim, Ofsted should review its policy on ‘inadequate’ judgements due to ineffective safeguarding and ensure that schools are only being judged ‘inadequate’ in cases where they are fundamentally failing to keep children safe. In cases where the problems … Read more
Government Response
The government has clarified that a school will only be judged 'inadequate' due to safeguarding if children are not safe, and has implemented rapid re-inspections to allow schools to remedy issues before formal intervention, directly addressing the recommendation.
Department for Education
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48 Conclusion Deferred
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Urge Department to deliver a process for Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) inspection urgently.
We agree with the incoming HMCI that it is “inevitable” that MATs will be inspected, and we are frustrated that repeated calls for trust inspections from this Committee, its predecessors and others have not yet been acted upon by the … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees that MAT inspection is inevitable but redirects responsibility for developing the process to the DfE, stating that it falls under their remit. They also suggest considering a wider application of 'group inspection'.
Department for Education
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49 Conclusion Deferred
First Report - Ofsted’s work with …
Authorise Ofsted to urgently develop a framework for Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) inspections and capacity plan.
The Department must authorise Ofsted to develop a framework for the inspection of MATs as a matter of urgency and set out a plan for building the appropriate expertise and capacity in this area. Ofsted will need to be appropriately … Read more
Government Response
The government states that the authorization for Ofsted to develop a MAT inspection framework falls to the DfE, not Ofsted, and commits to engaging with the DfE on this matter while also suggesting a broader concept of 'group inspection'.
Department for Education
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Government Response AI assessment · 49 of 8 classified
Accepted 12
Accepted in Part 6
Acknowledged 4
Deferred 25
Rejected 2
Total 8 recs + 41 conclusions