School inspections in England: Ofsted

Scope of briefing

This briefing covers:

• Reform to how Ofsted inspects schools, including the decision to stop using one- or two-word overall effectiveness judgements such as ‘outstanding’ and ‘inadequate’
• How Ofsted has inspected schools to date
• Practicalities of inspections – their frequency, focus, and their consequences for schools

It applies to England. Separate school inspection arrangements apply in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

Ofsted's remit

Ofsted inspects all state-funded schools in England, and around half of independent schools, in line with the relevant inspection framework. It also inspects a wide range of other services, including childcare, social care, further education, secure education and prison education.

Labour government announces end to 'headline grades'

On 2 September 2024, Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson announced an immediate halt to one- or two-word overall effectiveness judgements (‘headline grades’) for state-funded schools. She also said the government was committed to removing headline grades for many other types of settings.

Historically, Ofsted has described a school’s overall effectiveness as either outstanding, good, requires improvement, or inadequate. Inadequate was further subdivided into two categories, serious weaknesses or requiring special measures.

Describing the previous reporting framework as “reductive”, Ms Phillipson said the government would introduce a replacement ‘report card’ system by 2025. In the meantime, schools will receive four graded sub-judgements on four key areas of their provision, a judgement on whether safeguarding is effective, and graded judgements for any early years or sixth form provision.

Intervention following Ofsted inspection

Poor Ofsted inspection outcomes have long been linked to intervention for state-funded schools. Under the post-September 2024 system, this system remains, with some changes.

Schools can be placed into one of two ‘categories of concern’ by Ofsted following an inspection. They can either be deemed to have serious weaknesses, or to require special measures. For most types of maintained schools, being placed in either category will trigger the process of academy conversion, and for academies, it may trigger a transfer to a new academy trust.

Previously, schools that received two ‘requires improvement’ judgements in a row may have received intervention from the Department for Education (DfE). Now, these schools will normally receive support from another high-performing school instead.

Developments prior to the 2024 general election

Prior to the 2024 general election, teaching and leadership unions intensified their calls for reform of the inspection regime. These calls were amplified following the January 2023 death of head teacher, Ruth Perry. Ms Perry’s school in Berkshire was inspected and the resulting report graded the school as inadequate, on safeguarding grounds only.

In January 2024 Labour stated their ambition to “create a better system for inspecting and improving our schools”, which included ending single word Ofsted judgements and bringing in report cards with annual checks on safeguarding and attendance. This ambition was reiterated in March 2024: “the days of the one word judgement will be coming to a close”. In their 2024 Manifesto, Labour committed to “replacing a single headline grade with a new report card system telling parents clearly how schools are performing”.

In June 2023, Ofsted announced changes to school inspections, including that where schools are in judged inadequate on safeguarding grounds only, and would otherwise have been graded good or outstanding, they would be re-visited within three months and can be regraded at that point.

Ofsted’s ‘big listen’

In March 2024, Ofsted launched its ‘big listen’ initiative. This spanned Ofsted’s whole inspection remit including education, children’s social care, teacher training, and early years. It ran until 31 May 2024, and asked for feedback on four areas: Reporting; inspection practice; culture and purpose; and impact on wider society, children and learners, and school staff.

The consultation response was published on 3 September 2024.

How the government is paying for Ofsted reform

Labour’s general election Fiscal Plan earmarked £45million for Ofsted reform funded through £1.5 billion revenue raised from applying VAT and business rates to private schools. The Institute for Fiscal Studies agree that these changes may raise in the region of £1.3 – £1.5 billion, but said “the arguments for keeping or removing these exemptions [were] … finely balanced”.

More information on the private schools and tax arrangements can be found in the House of Commons briefing paper on Charitable status and independent schools.