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Ofsted: FAQs

Get answers to your questions about Ofsted's 2025 framework across the most frequently-asked topics. Plus, find links to all our resources to help you manage an Ofsted inspection effectively.

Updated
on 3 September 2026See updates
School types: All•School phases: All•Ref: 52686
Contents
  1. What's new for 2026/27?
  2. When will we be inspected?
  3. What's Ofsted's inspection criteria?
  4. How much preparation is needed for inspection?
  5. What's involved in the inspection itself?
  6. What does inspection look like for small schools?
  7. What does Ofsted mean by inclusion?
  8. How will inspectors look at attainment and progress?
  9. What's the Ofsted nominee role?
  10. What is the governors' role in the inspection process?

What's new for 2026/27?

The Ofsted school inspection framework has been updated, with the updated documents applying from 7 September 2026 onwards.

Ofsted will now publish an annual framework update every year, with changes coming into effect for September. 

This is not a new framework, and the inspection criteria and process are mostly unchanged. 

Minor changes include:

  • A new requirement to publish your inclusion strategy on your website
  • Clarifications around the process of learning walks during inspection
  • Minor updates to your expectations around working with parents/carers and providing support for pupils with SEND

What is the similar schools attainment model? Ofsted will include similar schools data in it's inspection data summary reports (ISDR) from September 2026, which you