• Find an adult learning and skills inspection report
• Understanding an adult learning and skills inspection report
• Types of adult learning and skills Ofsted inspects
• Inspecting adult learning and skills
  • Inspecting further education and skills
  • Inspecting residential provision in colleges
  • Inspecting welfare and duty of care in Armed Services' training
  • Inspecting initial teacher education
    • Before an initial teacher education inspection
    • During an initial teacher education inspection
    • After an initial teacher education inspection
• Safeguarding children and young people
• About our survey reports
• How to complain

Before an initial teacher education inspection

The timing of the inspection and size of the team is based on the type of training offered, the size and complexity of the provision, and the risk assessment of the quality of the provision. Risk assessments are completed on an annual basis and the data used as part of this process is published on the Ofsted website each Autumn term.

ITE partnerships will normally be notified of their inspection two working days before the inspection begins. The inspection service provider (ISP) will telephone the ITE partnership to inform them about the inspection.

The lead inspector will then telephone the provider’s representative to introduce themself and to arrange for phase lead inspectors to contact the relevant phase leaders and managers to make the practical arrangements for the inspection.

During this conversation, the lead inspector will request additional information from the ITE partnership and arrange for a longer telephone call to discuss the ITE partnership’s self-evaluation and analysis of outcomes for trainees and any other relevant matters.

After receiving the information requested from the ITE partnership, lead inspectors will liaise with phase leaders and managers to select a sample of trainees and former trainees to observe teaching. Inspectors will try to maximise the time available by visiting a number of trainees and former trainees based in the same schools, colleges and/or other settings.

The ITE partnership will confirm the inspection timetable in discussion with the lead inspector and will set out the practical arrangements for the inspection team, including, for example, rooms and car parking.