What Ofsted will ask and look for
By 8am on the day of inspection, you must give inspectors secure access to:
- A list of referrals made to your designated safeguarding lead (DSL)
- Those that were subsequently referred to your local authority (LA)
- Brief details on the resolution(s)
This is set out in paragraph 97 of the School Inspection Handbook.
For a small number of these pupils, inspectors will check how the referral was made and the thoroughness of the follow-up (see paragraph 285 of the inspection handbook, linked above).
To show Ofsted your safeguarding arrangements are effective, you’ll need to:
- Retain a record of safeguarding referrals
- Demonstrate that you’ve promptly taken any agreed action following the referral, in order to protect the pupil from further harm
This is explained in this guidance about how Ofsted inspects safeguarding. Read our guide to find out more about the process.
An Ofsted representative answered the following questions for us: