Inspection criteria

  • Attendance: what Ofsted is looking for
    Ofsted will consider your attendance data when making specific judgements. Understand what evidence inspectors will want to look at, and what they want to see in 'outstanding' and 'good' schools.
  • 'Cultural capital': what Ofsted is looking for
    Ofsted will consider ‘cultural capital’ when assessing your quality of education, but what does this actually mean? Read on to find out how inspectors will evaluate it in your school.
  • How Ofsted inspects 'behaviour and attitudes'
    Learn how Ofsted inspects 'behaviour and attitudes' in a graded inspection under the Ofsted inspection framework. This judgement covers behaviour, attendance, exclusion and attitudes to learning.
  • How Ofsted inspects 'leadership and management'
    Understand which parts of school leadership and management will be judged under the Ofsted inspection framework. See what evidence you can provide and read a summary of the grade descriptors.
  • How Ofsted inspects 'personal development'
    Learn how Ofsted inspects 'personal development' under the Ofsted framework, including how SMSC development is considered. Download our list of questions inspectors might ask, including ones about British values.
  • How Ofsted inspects safeguarding
    Understand what Ofsted expects to see in your safeguarding arrangements, and what evidence inspectors will collect during an inspection. Download our list of questions Ofsted might ask about child protection, including how you handle sexual harassment and abuse in your school.
  • How Ofsted inspects your curriculum
    Ofsted's 'quality of education' measure puts your curriculum in the spotlight. Understand how inspectors will judge your intent, implementation and impact, and the evidence they'll consider. Also see what's changed now that the transition period has ended.
  • How Ofsted will assess RSE
    Relationships and sex education (RSE) won't be inspected on its own – instead, Ofsted will look at how you're meeting statutory requirements for RSE, and consider this within your 'personal development' and 'leadership and management' judgements.
  • Ofsted 'deep dive' questions
    Download our list of 'deep dive' questions, based on previous inspections, for subject leaders and teachers to see what Ofsted inspectors might ask in a subject 'deep dive'.
  • Ofsted 'deep dives': art and design
    Understand how Ofsted inspectors do an art and design 'deep dive' and see what they might ask by downloading our list of questions based on previous inspections.
  • Ofsted 'deep dives': computing
    Find out what evidence inspectors will look at during a computing ‘deep dive’, and what questions they might ask. Download our list of questions to help you prepare.
  • Ofsted 'deep dives': English
    Understand how Ofsted inspectors do English and reading 'deep dives' and see what they might ask by downloading our list of questions based on previous inspections.
  • Ofsted 'deep dives': geography
    Find out what Ofsted inspectors might ask during a geography 'deep dive'. Download our list of questions to help you speak confidently about geography with inspectors.
  • Ofsted 'deep dives': history
    Find out how Ofsted inspectors do a history 'deep dive' and see what they might ask by downloading our list of questions based on previous inspections.
  • Ofsted 'deep dives': maths
    Find out what evidence inspectors will look at during a maths 'deep dive', and what they might ask. Download our list of questions to help you prepare.
  • Ofsted 'deep dives': PE
    Find out what Ofsted inspectors might ask during a PE 'deep dive'. Download our list of questions to help you speak confidently about PE with inspectors.
  • Ofsted 'deep dives': PSHE
    Understand how Ofsted inspectors carry out PSHE 'deep dives' and see what they might ask by downloading our list of questions based on previous inspections.
  • Ofsted 'deep dives': science
    Find out how Ofsted inspectors do a science 'deep dive'. Download our list of questions they might ask you so you can feel confident talking about your subject with inspectors.
  • Ofsted 'summary evaluations' of trusts: explainer
    Summary evaluations are Ofsted's approach to gathering findings about a trust. Find out what happens at each stage of the process, what Ofsted will expect of you and your leadership team and what it's likely to consider.
    For Trust Leaders