2019 Ofsted inspection framework: what it means for your school

Get to grips with the 2019 inspection framework. Find out how to assess your curriculum's 'intent, implementation and impact' with our prompts, and how inspectors will judge behaviour in your school.

Last reviewed on 7 September 2022
School types: All · School phases: All
Ref: 36144
Contents
  1. Curriculum transition period has ended
  2. A sharper focus on the curriculum with the 'quality of education' measure
  3. Intent, implementation and impact
  4. How will you be accountable for your curriculum quality?
  5. What you can do now about your curriculum 
  6. 'Behaviour and attitudes' has moved away from 'personal development'
  7. How you address harmful sexual behaviour
  8. Other changes: internal data ignored and longer ungraded inspections

Curriculum transition period has ended

Ofsted ended its curriculum transition arrangements in September 2022. It previously put these arrangements in place to help schools transition to the 2019 Ofsted framework, and extended them due to the pandemic.

Get an in-depth understanding of how Ofsted will inspect your curriculum, including its new grade descriptor for 'quality of education', in our article.

A sharper focus on the curriculum with the 'quality of education' measure

The 'quality of education' measure:

  • Is a combination of the previous 'teaching, learning and assessment' rating and the 'pupil outcomes' grade
  • Puts a single conversation about education at the centre of inspection, drawing together curriculum, teaching, assessment and standards

By taking into account a school's broader curriculum offering, it aims to lessen the reliance on exam results as a measure of school quality.

The 4 inspection judgements

Ofsted 2019 inspection framework
Adapted from an Ofsted presentation

 

Read more about how Ofsted inspects your curriculum.

Intent, implementation and impact

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Also in "The inspection system"