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

Monday

15th Nov 2021

Call for Ofsted pause to help ‘exhausted’ teachers
Schools North East warns of ‘disastrous long-term consequences’ without action to tackle school staff burnout

Friday

12th Nov 2021

Ofsted warns schools over ‘unbroken’ KS3 music teaching
Inspectorate’s expert says subject should not be put on a carousel in secondary schools

Monday

8th Nov 2021

Ofsted: Halving ‘outstanding’ schools is ‘realistic’
Ofsted boss compares school ratings to Michelin stars to explain why number of top-rated schools could drop to one in 10

Friday

5th Nov 2021

Heads call for halt to Ofsted inspections on request
It’s not fair for Ofsted to judge schools when they’re in ‘crisis mode’ because of the pandemic, says headteachers’ leader

Monday

25th Oct 2021

Call to halt Ofsted inspections for heads’ wellbeing
Pressure of ‘toxic’ graded inspections during the pandemic is driving school leaders from profession, the education secretary has been told

Wednesday

20th Oct 2021

Teachers’ leader slams Ofsted for ‘reign of terror’
Amanda Spielman has been accused of believing ‘teachers should be like robots’ by Dame Alison Peacock

Monday

18th Oct 2021

Some schools not inspected for more than 15 years
New document reveals date of last inspection for thousands of schools in Scotland, including six as far back as 2004

Thursday

14th Oct 2021

Ofsted subject reviews ‘risk schools having 2 masters’
Inspectorate is warned that its subject focus risks setting expectations on schools that go beyond the national curriculum

Tuesday

5th Oct 2021

Why it’s clear that school inspection will die hard
School inspection is on its way back – but Paul Cochrane says the Covid inspection hiatus has made it seem less helpful than ever

Monday

4th Oct 2021

Why school inspections don’t make sense right now
How can inspectors understand what is happening in schools when they have not been inside them for over 18 months, asks this head

Friday

1st Oct 2021

Ofsted chief quizzed over ‘normal times’ inspections
ASCL leader says heads have raised concerns about inspections ‘carrying on as if these were normal times’
‘Outstanding’-rated schools on Ofsted inspection alert
Most staff in ‘outstanding’ schools think inspection this year is likely after the removal of exemption, poll suggests