Ofsted inspectors could return to school premises for monitoring inspections as soon as schools start to open more widely, new guidance suggests.
The watchdog has said today that its inspection activity will be done remotely until 8 March at the earliest.
This is the date on which prime minister Boris Johnson has said schools could begin to open more widely from the national lockdown.
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Ofsted is currently carrying out remote monitoring inspections of schools rated as “requires improvement” or “inadequate”.
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It had originally planned to send inspectors into these schools during this current national lockdown and said that some of its work needs to be carried out on-site.
However, it then performed a U-turn on this plan and announced that its monitoring inspections of schools will be carried out remotely until after the February half-term in response to the Covid-19 crisis.
The watchdog said it had changed its plans after the government issued advice to the public to “act as if you have the virus”.
It has now confirmed that remote inspections will carry on until 8 March at the earliest.
Ofsted’s updated guidance on its remote inspections this term says: “We have reviewed our plans for the inspections of schools, early years and further education, which were due to begin next week.
“In light of a change in emphasis from the government and clear advice to ‘act as if you have the virus’ over the next few weeks, we have decided that all planned inspection activity will be carried out remotely until March 8 at the earliest.
“We have sought regular advice from Public Health England and we remain satisfied that our planned on-site activity would be safe and appropriate under current restrictions.
“However, the new government messages and the practical challenges of deploying inspectors across England have prompted this change.”
