New Ofsted inspection framework

Ofsted has published the outcome of the consultation on its new education inspection framework, which will take effect from September 2019.

Inspectors will spend less time looking at exam results and test data, and more time considering how a provider has achieved their results. The changes follow a 3-month public consultation, which prompted more than 15,000 responses.

In response to strong support from three-quarters of respondents, there will be a greater emphasis on progress, and a new quality of education judgement. Inspectors will make judgements on overall effectiveness, and on quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development and leadership and management. The behaviour and attitudes judgement will assess whether leaders are creating a calm and orderly environment, while the personal development judgement will recognise the work providers do to build learners’ resilience and confidence. 

New framework and inspection handbooks will be used across all education inspections from September 2019.

There will be four categories of provision graded in inspection reports: education programmes for young people; apprenticeships; adult learning programmes and provision for learners with high needs. Key points are:

• As per previously, providers graded ‘good’ for overall effectiveness will usually be re-inspected within five years, and most will receive a short inspection. Short inspections will focus on particular aspects of the provision, mainly the quality of education, safeguarding and leadership. 
• Providers that are judged ‘requires improvement’ overall will have the timescale for their next full inspection extended from 12 to 24 months to 12 to 30 months. 
• Ofsted will continue to carry out a monitoring visit within 24 months to any provider that becomes newly, directly and publicly funded to deliver education training.