LeadersSafeguardingCPDGovernorHubKeyGPT
Training Hub

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.

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

When will we be inspected?

Routine Ofsted inspections resumed for all state-funded schools on 1 December 2025.

Your school will be inspected as part of the normal 4-year inspection cycle, and must be inspected within 5 school years from the end of the school year in which your previous inspection took place.

Can we still defer an inspection? Yes, this hasn’t changed