Your guide to Ofsted monitoring inspections

Get to grips with what happens before, during and after a monitoring inspection. Find out whether you're eligible for this kind of inspection, too.

Last reviewed on 18 October 2024See updates
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Contents
  1. Before a monitoring inspection
  2. During the monitoring inspection
  3. At the end of the monitoring inspection

If your school meets the criteria (see below), you may receive a monitoring inspection before your next graded inspection. See our article on the frequency of Ofsted inspections to see when your next graded inspection might be.

You may receive a monitoring inspection if

  • Your school is in a 'category of concern' (any judgement area is graded 'inadequate' and/or if safeguarding is ineffective in your last graded inspection)
  • Your school had 1 or more grade of 'requires improvement' or 'inadequate' for a key or provision in your most recent graded inspection

 See paragraph 21 of the School Monitoring Handbook for this information.

Before a monitoring inspection

Your monitoring inspection will normally be carried out by His Majesty's Inspectors (HMI). You're:

  • Not required to prepare a separate action plan
  • Expected to review your existing plans to address the areas for improvement identified at the graded inspection

The lead inspector will phone your school up to 2 school