Ofsted (the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills) is the independent body responsible for inspecting and regulating education and skills providers across England. This includes schools, early years settings, childcare providers, further education and training organisations, and local authority children’s services. Inspection findings are published publicly to help parents, carers and communities understand the quality of education and care provided.
Changes to Ofsted Inspections for Schools in England
From November 2025, Ofsted inspections for schools in England will no longer include a single overall headline judgement such as Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement or Inadequate. Instead, schools will receive a more detailed inspection report card that provides a broader picture of school effectiveness across a range of evaluation areas.
Why has Ofsted removed single headline judgements?
Ofsted has introduced these changes to provide parents, carers and communities with a more balanced and detailed understanding of a school’s strengths and areas for development. The new framework is designed to recognise the complexity of school performance and place greater emphasis on inclusion, safeguarding and pupils’ overall experience.
How will school performance be reported?
Schools will continue to receive detailed inspection findings, but these will now be presented through a report card using a five-point evaluation scale:
- Exceptional
- Strong standard
- Expected standard
- Needs attention
- Urgent improvement
Safeguarding will be reported separately as either met or not met.
What areas will Ofsted evaluate?
Under the new framework, schools will be evaluated across the following areas:
- Safeguarding
- Inclusion
- Curriculum and teaching
- Achievement
- Attendance and behaviour
- Personal development and well-being
- Leadership and governance
Where applicable, inspectors will also evaluate early years and sixth form provision.
Schools that currently hold existing headline judgements will retain them until their next graded inspection under the new framework.
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