Ofsted Calls for Better College Support for Learners in Care

A new Ofsted report, published today, describes the challenges some schools and colleges face in supporting children in care to reach their potential, due to inconsistencies in local authority practice, unclear national…

Ofsted launches new QR code badges for promoting inspection findings

Ofsted has today launched a new way for education providers to celebrate and share their inspection report cards with parents, carers and the wider community.…

Ofsted's Initial Teacher Education (ITE) Inspections FAQs

Since we published the renewed inspection framework on 9 September 2025, we’ve put on lots of online and face-to-face engagement with initial teacher education (ITE) providers to…

Ofsted's FE and skills FAQs

Since we published the renewed inspection framework on 9 September 2025, we’ve put on lots of online and face-to-face engagement with further education and skills (FE) providers…

Ofsted Annual Report: FE Quality Rises To 88%, Prison Education and Post-16 Careers Guidance Needs Improvement

Ofsted have released their 92 page annual report. This year’s Ofsted Annual Report looks across the early years, schools, children’s social care and further education…

Ofsted's New 'explore an area' Explained

Ofsted has a unique perspective on the various places that children and learners experience. We gain this through our inspections of schools and further education…

The Role of Data on School and FE Inspections

This week we released information sets to schools, further education providers and inspectors that help frame our inspection activity. These are called the Inspection Data…

Armed Forces Training of High Standard, But too Many Trainees Wasting Time in Holdover

Ofsted has today published its 17th annual report on the effectiveness of care, welfare and training arrangements for recruits, trainees and officer cadets in the…

Ofsted Clarifies Inspection Reforms Following Final Consultation Results

New 5-point grading scale, including the new ‘exceptional’ grade, designed to raise standards, confirmed following strong support from parents. New-look report cards from November From…

Ofsted Sets Out Measures For November Roll-out Of Inspections Under The Renewed Inspection Framework

Ofsted has today announced several measures to reassure education providers about the November roll-out of inspections under the renewed inspection framework. Ofsted’s National Director for…

Ofsted Announces Sector Engagement Programme to Prepare Providers for November

Ofsted has today announced a full programme of sector engagement to be launched in September when the final set of education inspection reforms are published.…

AI in Education: How Schools and FE Colleges are Making it Work

A new report published today by Ofsted shares insights into how ‘early adopter’ schools and further education (FE) colleges across England are integrating generative artificial…

Dame Christine Gilbert announced as Chair of Ofsted

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has today (11 June 2025) announced the appointment of Dame Christine Gilbert as the next Chair of Ofsted.  As a former…

Ofsted is Improving the Way Services for Young People with SEND are Inspected

Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) have today published the outcome of a review of the way local area services for children and young…

Ofsted's Latest Report on Careers Support for Disadvantaged Students

Careers guidance for post-16 students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds can vary in quality, a new report from Ofsted has found. Ofsted was commissioned by the…

How the Proposed Ofsted Inspections Would Look for Small Training Providers and Apprenticeship Providers

Lee Owston and Paul Joyce explain how the new Ofsted inspection framework will transform inspections for FE providers, detailing key changes including real-time feedback, streamlined…

Understanding Ofsted's New Report Card: From 'Causing Concern' to 'Exemplary'

Proposals for a new inspection model include:   Ofsted has today launched a major consultation, seeking the views of parents, carers, professionals and learners, on a…

Ofsted publishes Big Listen action monitoring report and announces trials of new inspection approach

Ofsted has today published the first monitoring report on 132 commitments made in the Big Listen and the response to Dame Christine Gilbert’s independent learning…

SEND in Crisis: The Broken Bridge to Adulthood

Overview This report examines how effectively local areas in England support young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) in their transition to adulthood.…

Ofsted Postpones Initial Teacher Education Inspections Until 2025/26

Ofsted has postponed the start to its next initial teacher education (ITE) inspection cycle until the 2025/26 academic year, following a request by the Secretary…

Sir Martyn Oliver's AoC Speech: Working Together to Shape the Future Skills System 

Sir Martyn Oliver, Ofsted’s Chief Inspector, announced key changes to FE inspection processes. Following the “Big Listen” consultation, single-word judgements will be replaced with detailed…

Ofsted Unveils Major Reforms in Response to 'Big Listen' Consultation

Ofsted has today published a detailed response to its ‘Big Listen’ consultation, setting out how the inspectorate will reset its relationship with the sectors it…

Ofsted: Teachers’ access to high quality training variable and reliant on access to ‘Golden Thread’

Ofsted: Teachers’ access to high quality training variable and reliant on access to ‘Golden Thread’ reforms  Ofsted has today published the findings from phase 2…

Ofsted "Deep dives" removed from ungraded inspections

’Deep dives’ removed from ungraded Ofsted inspections Today, at the National Association of Headteacher’s (NAHT) Annual conference, Ofsted’s Chief Inspector, Sir Martyn Oliver, announced changes…

Ofsted's Big Listen: Sector Reaction

The sector reacts to Ofsted’s Big Listen. ASCL comment on Ofsted’s ‘big listen’: Responding to Ofsted Chief Inspector Sir Martyn Oliver’s launch of the ‘big…

Ofsted confirms plans for inspecting supported accommodation

Ofsted has today published guidance for inspecting providers of supported accommodation for looked after children and care leavers aged 16 to 17. The guidance follows…

Personalised plans and trusting relationships the key to successful careers guidance in specialist settings

Ofsted has today published an independent review of careers guidance in special schools, independent specialist colleges (ISCs) and pupil referral units (PRUs).  The report outlines…

Changes to Ofsted’s post-inspection arrangements and complaints handling: Report on the responses to the consultation

On 12 June 2023, we launched a public consultation on proposals for changes to Ofsted’s post-inspection arrangements, including how we handle complaints about our work. The…

Ofsted Annual Report: Steadily improving picture in education and care, but ‘social contract’ remains fractured

This year’s Annual Report from Ofsted concludes there are reasons for optimism, as education and children’s social care continue to recover from the lingering impact…

Education providers focus tutoring interventions on exam preparation

Ofsted has published phase 2 of its independent review of the government’s tutoring programme in schools and 16-19 education providers. Ofsted was commissioned by the…

Sir Martyn Oliver confirmed as the next Ofsted Chief Inspector

The Education Secretary today announced the appointment of Sir Martyn Oliver as the next His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills. The…

Most schools understand the need to promote technical and academic routes to students, Ofsted review finds

Ofsted has today published a review of careers provision in schools and further education and skills (FE & Skills) providers. The review found schools and…

Quality of history education continues to improve but inconsistency between schools remains

Ofsted has today published a subject report looking at how history is being taught in England’s schools. The report draws on evidence from subject visits…

Reasons to be optimistic about education recovery if we don't overload schools - Ofsted

Inspections are showing there are reasons to be optimistic about the education recovery effort, Ofsted’s Chief Inspector will say in a speech on Thursday. Speaking…

Ofsted: Slow progress on reading education in prisons

Shortages of prison staff and a lack of training means not enough prisoners are able to improve their reading – according to a new report…

Teachers’ professional development remains a work in progress

Ofsted report finds that teachers want professional development opportunities, but poor-quality training and increasing workloads are slowing improvements brought about by recent reforms. Teachers are…

HMCI Calls for Ofsted Reform: Sector Response

Ofsted Chief Inspector Amanda Spielman has called for an Ofsted reform. Read what she has said below: In recent weeks there has been much debate about reform of school…

Looking to the Future for FE and Skills​

In this article, we talk with Paul about the past and looking to the future of FE and Skills. Q. We recently had the Ofsted…

Ofsted Annual Report 2022

Ofsted Annual Report 2022: Pandemic recovery slowed by workforce crisis in children’s education and care The report highlights some shocking stats on Prison Education, and…

Ofsted: Skills Bootcamps will help plug skills gaps, but improvements are needed

Ofsted (@Ofstednews) has today published findings from a thematic survey of the quality of education provided in Skills Bootcamps. Ofsted’s survey found that, while learners…

Education providers resilient as COVID challenges continue

Ofsted has today (20 July) published the third set of briefings in a series looking at the pandemic’s continued impact on education providers. The 3…

New five-year Ofsted strategy - All FE Colleges to be assessed in the next four years.

Ofsted has today (26 April) published a new strategy for the next five years (2022 – 2027). The strategy is across all of education… for…

Strong signs of recovery across education, but challenges remain say Ofsted - Sector response

@Ofstednews has today (4 Apr) published the second set of reports in a series looking at the pandemic’s continued impact on education providers. The reports…

Ofsted and HMI Prisons: Failing to teach prisoners to read is “huge missed opportunity”. Sector Reaction

Ofsted and HMI Prisons release: “Prison education: a review of reading education in prisons”  report. Failing to teach prisoners to read leaves up to half…

Further education and skills handbook

Handbook for Ofsted inspectors of further education and skills providers. Documents Further education and skills handbook HTML Further education and skills handbook: April to 31…

Amanda Spielman at the 2021 Schools & Academies Show

The Chief Inspector discussed Ofsted’s work and the impact of COVID on schools at the Schools & Academies Show in Birmingham. It’s very good to…