Schools: For Children and young people

Inspecting schools

We inspect schools to provide information to parents and carers, to promote improvement and, where applicable, to hold schools to account for the public money they receive. School inspections are required by law. We provide an independent assessment of the quality and standards of education in schools, and check whether pupils are achieving as much as they can.

Ofsted inspects most schools every few years. We inspect weaker schools more frequently and only inspect outstanding schools when they don't seem to be performing as well as before. We write an independent report of the quality of the school, and check whether pupils are achieving as much as they can.

When schools are notified of their inspection, they are asked to provide the inspectors with some information before the inspection begins. This may include an evaluation of their provision, if available.

The inspection

Before they arrive at a school inspectors analyse the information provided by the school and other information that Ofsted already holds or is publicly available. When they arrive, they talk to the headteacher, governors (in maintained schools), staff, pupils, parents and carers. They also observe a range of lessons and consider the effectiveness of key leaders and managers.

Making all inspections consistent 

When we inspect a school inspectors adhere to the following guidance, which shows how the general principles and processes are applied to inspections including the judgements that are made and how inspectors undertake their work:

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