Oftsed have recently released an updated school inspection handbook (effective from 19 January 2024) that takes into account their recent Prevention of Future Deaths report. The handbook is mainly unchanged – most of the changes are clarifications. In summary, these are as follows:
- Inspection can be paused under exceptional circumstances – headteachers can request a pause, and a pause can be for up to 5 days.
- During the initial call, the inspector will ask if your school needs to defer – headteachers can request a deferral during the initial phone call or at the first opportunity afterwards, before the start of the inspection.
- Staff can bring colleagues with them to meetings with inspectors – headteachers can have other members of staff present during the pre-inspection calls, and other staff can also bring colleagues. But staff cannot be present at meetings with governors, parents or children (as before).
- Staff will be given a contact number for a senior Ofsted leader – the headteacher will be given this number during the preparation stage.
- Leaders can share inspection outcomes with some people outside of your school – this includes colleagues, family members, medical advisers, their wider support group. But they can’t make the information public, or share it with parents.
The handbook and other Ofsted related documents are on their website, here.
If your school subscribes to The Key, they have a useful summary of the changes on their website, here.
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