Headteachers are questioning why Ofsted is only giving schools up to a day’s notice before carrying out new visits during the autumn term.

The inspectorate is set to go back into schools from the end of September to check how they are managing a return to full-time education following the coronavirus lockdown.

Ofsted has said these visits are not inspections and will not result in graded judgements.

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However, heads are concerned that the watchdog is set to give schools no more than a day’s notice before inspectors arrive on site.

Ofsted has said it has not given schools longer as they do not need to prepare for these visits and it does not want to take school staff away from their jobs.

But Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “This does seem very short notice for an Ofsted visit given all the other pressures on schools, and we would have thought the inspectorate could give more notice than this.

“Schools will have a great deal on their plate managing safety measures, identifying learning gaps, and supporting pupils.

“To then have to rearrange things to accommodate an Ofsted visit at the last minute is unlikely to be particularly welcome or helpful.

“The inspectorate has been at pains to say these visits are not inspections, and we really cannot see why they should be at such short notice.”

Jonny Uttley, the chief executive of the Education Alliance multi-academy trust, which runs six schools in Hull and the East Riding, said: “If this is really about having a professional conversation with schools then why are they giving so little notice?

“It does feel very unhelpful, especially when this does still feel like a form of high-stakes accountability 

“Ofsted will not give you a grade but they will be commenting on what they find on your school and publishing it for parents.

“And in some ways, it is worse than regular inspection because with a normal inspection you have a framework and you know what you are being measured against.”

When asked why schools were only being given up to a day’s notice an Ofsted spokesperson said: “We did consider it, but we were concerned a longer notice period might tempt schools into preparing for the visit and taking staff away from the vital job they’re doing with pupils.

“There’s no need to do any preparation at all because these visits aren’t inspections and they are not about judging the school in any way.”

Ofsted has said that the visits will “not judge schools on their response to Covid-19 during the spring and summer terms 2020.”

The watchdog has said that it will publish a letter after a visit containing information agreed with leaders about their next steps in managing the return to full-time education for their pupils.

A document published by Ofsted about its plans for September says: “We will give schools up to a day’s notice.”

Tes has asked what the minimum period of notice the inspectorate will give is but it has not yet responded.

Full Ofsted inspections are set to return in January next year, although this date is being kept under review.