This article refers to state-funded pupil referral units (PRUs) and alternative provision (AP) academies, which are inspected using the documents for state-funded schools.
AP settings registered as independent schools are inspected according to Ofsted's documents for independent school inspection instead.
If you're in a mainstream school that has commissioned an AP placement, find out how you'll be inspected for your AP choices in our article on alternative provision: how to choose and work with providers.
Alternative provision (AP) settings are inspected like other schools
AP settings are inspected by Ofsted in the same way as school settings, and the grade descriptors set out in the State-funded Schools Inspection Toolkit still apply.
Under the 2025 inspection framework, your setting will receive a report card in your inspection outcome. It will cover your results in the evaluation areas. The evaluation areas are:
Each area will be graded using Ofsted’s new