Your step-by-step guide to Ofsted inspection

Last reviewed on 21 April 2022
School types: All · School phases: All
Ref: 3417

Find out what happens before, during and after a section 5 Ofsted inspection under the 2019 framework, and understand what's expected of you at each step.

Article tools

Contents

  1. Before the inspection
  2. During the inspection
  3. After the inspection

This article is based on paragraphs 9 to 12 and part 1 of the School Inspection Handbook.

Before the inspection

Notification

Ofsted will contact you by phone to announce the inspection, between 10:30am and 2pm of the school day before the inspection. They'll ask to speak to the most senior member of staff available.

During this call, Ofsted will check:

  • The number of pupils you have on roll
  • The governance arrangements you have
  • Whether you have any special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) provision, nursery provision for 2- and 3-year-olds, or additional resource provision

Following this call, you'll get a confirmation via email and a note setting out key information for you to look at.

The lead inspector's phone call

This call will have 2 elements, which might be in a single phone conversation or split into 2 separate conversations

Read next

Also in 'Inspection processes and procedures'