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

Wednesday

11th Jun 2025

Ofsted inspection plan delay sparks Phillipson rebuke
Education secretary tells Sir Martyn Oliver it is ‘disappointing’ that Ofsted has delayed its consultation response on changes to the inspection system – with new inspections due to start next term
Oliver and Phillipson
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Dame Christine Gilbert to be appointed chair of Ofsted’s board
Former chief inspector, who led a major review into Ofsted, has been selected as chair of the schools watchdog
Dame Christine Gilbert Ofsted

Friday

23rd May 2025

Ofsted report card inspections ‘too short for reliable judgement’
School leaders involved in trials of Ofsted’s planned new inspection system warn about the volume of work to be done in one and a half days
Ofsted inspection
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Thursday

22nd May 2025

Revealed: top inspection ratings out of reach for Scottish schools
Only seven schools have been rated ‘excellent’ for learning and teaching since 2016, according to a Tes investigation uncovering more than eight years of inspection findings
inspection ratings out of reach
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Wednesday

21st May 2025

Ofsted is rewriting its report card inspection toolkits
Tes understands the inspectorate is carrying out a ‘substantial’ rewrite of inspection toolkits it will use to grade schools in new inspections
Ofsted changes
Exclusive

Tuesday

13th May 2025

How Estonia became education’s newest rising star
Estonia is one of Pisa’s biggest success stories, but what’s behind the country’s impressive results? Henry Hepburn finds out in an exclusive interview with education minister Kristina Kallas
Estonia montage

Monday

12th May 2025

Ofsted consultation response ‘later than hoped’ but no plan to delay inspections
Staff have been told the inspectorate’s response to its consultation will likely be later than it had planned but that it is not looking to delay its new inspections
People waiting at a bus stop
Exclusive

Friday

9th May 2025

Pay offer delay leaves Scottish teachers feeling ‘undervalued and ignored’
Class-contact time, recruitment crises and fear-inducing school inspections also set out as priorities for change by the Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association
Pay offer delay leaves Scottish teachers feeling ‘undervalued and ignored’
Heads legally powerless to avoid Ofsted report card inspections
The NAHT has taken legal action against Ofsted’s recent consultation. But, regardless of the outcome, schools will have to participate in inspections, say legal experts
Heads legally powerless to avoid Ofsted report card inspections

Saturday

3rd May 2025

NAHT to take Ofsted to court over school report cards
School leaders’ union issues a claim for a judicial review against Ofsted in response to its proposed changes to the inspection system
NAHT to take Ofsted to court over school report cards

Friday

2nd May 2025

NAHT leader urges Oliver to scrap inspection plans
Union’s general secretary calls for an Ofsted system that ‘doesn’t pile additional pressure onto an already stretched profession’
Whiteman urges Oliver to scrap inspection plans

Wednesday

30th Apr 2025

Senior leaders aspiring to headship falls to record low
Almost half of heads say they need mental health support, and a third are already receiving support, finds survey
A small group of people trying to climb a wall using a ladder