Understanding Ofsted’s new inspection proposals
What parents need to know
What’s changing?
Ofsted, the body responsible for inspecting schools in England, is proposing significant changes to how it conducts inspections and the information it provides to parents. While school inspections are crucial, these new proposals have raised serious concerns among educators and parents alike.
Why the change?
These changes come in the wake of the tragic death of Ruth Perry, a head teacher who took her own life in 2023 after a distressing inspection. The coroner found that the inspection had contributed to her death, prompting calls for Ofsted to rethink its approach to prevent such tragedies in the future.
Current vs proposed system
Current inspection process
Currently, Ofsted inspections involve a team of inspectors evaluating a school through observations, discussions and reviews. This typically results in a report with four graded judgements in the following key areas:
- Quality of education – How well pupils are taught and how effectively they learn
- Behaviour and attitudes – How pupils behave in school, their attitudes toward learning and the school’s culture
- Personal development – How well the school supports pupils’ wider personal growth, including well-being and life skills
- Leadership and management – The effectiveness of school leaders, including safeguarding and staff support.
High-stakes pressure
Schools receive less than 24 hours’ notice before an inspection, leaving little time to prepare for what is often a high-stakes and intense process. For example, the school receives a call after 9.30am, but often much later. School leaders then have to drop everything to speak to the lead inspector on two occasions – the second is a detailed conversation that sets the focus of the inspection – before the onsite inspection begins at 8am the next day.
A single bad inspection can have serious consequences – not just for a school’s reputation but for its leadership. Like football managers after a poor run of results, head teachers can lose their jobs over one negative judgement, regardless of the progress their school is making. This pressure can create a culture of fear rather than genuine school improvement.
A snapshot, not the full picture
Inspectors spend just two days in a school, making a judgement that can have long-lasting consequences for staff, pupils and the wider community. This approach can feel like a ‘snapshot’ assessment rather than a full picture of a school’s day-to-day environment, challenges and successes.
The new proposed inspection process
Under the new system, Ofsted plans to do the following:
- Spend the same amount of time in school
- Increase the number of graded judgements from four to between eight and 10
- Use a five-point scale (from ‘causing concern’ to ‘exemplary’) instead of the current four-point scale.
The issues at hand
Does Ofsted’s new proposal improve anything?
More pressure, less support
Ofsted’s proposal will put even more pressure on teachers and school leaders. Not only will schools be graded in more areas, but a single ‘attention needed’ rating will also trigger monitoring by inspectors.
Rather than providing a clear picture of what a school does well and what needs improvement, this system will introduce a whole new set of cliff-edge judgements for school leaders and teachers.
As a result, they will have to spend even more time and energy preparing for inspections. This won’t ease the pressure they face – it will add to it.
Teachers and school leaders should be focusing on giving pupils the best education, not having to jump through even more hoops for inspectors.
If more time and energy go toward inspections, what effect will that have on pupils’ learning?
What school leaders say
From your perspective as a school leader, should parents be concerned about Ofsted’s planned changes to inspection, and if so, why?
A misleading snapshot
Yes, the proposed system is more confusing than before, with more judgements. Parents need to know the school’s strengths and the next steps it will take to support their children. A punitive model – such as the one suggested – will panic parents and focus on the negative. The model provides nothing but a snapshot that is potentially biased, depending on the inspector’s preconceptions.
Quality in crisis
Yes, the planned inspection changes will place greater pressure on schools, further impacting staff well-being and increasing the risk of experienced and skilled teachers and leaders leaving the profession. The inspection changes will further restrict school leaders’ ability to ensure their school meets the unique needs of its children, as they will likely lead to even more ‘hoop jumping’ to secure a positive inspection outcome. Both of these issues will adversely impact the quality of education and support for children.
Ticking boxes, not teaching
Yes, it will narrow opportunities for children, particularly in terms of curriculum quality, as schools refocus on meeting all the qualitative measure points. Schools will prioritise compliance over true education.
What this means for you and your child
As a parent, you want the best for your child’s education, and you deserve fair, accurate school inspections that help you make informed decisions.
These proposed changes could put even more pressure on teachers and school leaders who nurture and support your child every day.
Rather than driving meaningful improvements, this added strain risks demoralising staff and shifting focus away from what truly matters: ensuring your child receives the best possible education.
Ofsted already struggles to make reliable judgements in the current areas it evaluates, so it is hard to see how expanding inspections will make things better. A rise in unreliable ratings could be misleading, ultimately making it harder for you to get a clear and accurate picture of your child’s school.
You don’t just want a label for your child’s school – you want to know it’s improving and giving them the best start in life. Educators feel the same. They don’t want to chase grades; they want to create real, lasting improvements that benefit every child.
A system that prioritises genuine progress over simple labels – one that supports and guides schools to improve – will truly make a difference in your child’s future
The push for change isn't over – your voice still matters
Ofsted’s consultation on its proposed new approach to school inspections has now closed – but the campaign for a fairer, more supportive system continues.
We’re still working to ensure that the voices of parents, school leaders and the wider education community are heard loud and clear.
If you’d like to stay up to date with our campaign and find out how you can continue to support it, register to receive updates – because your voice matters.
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