Four steps to a successful Ofsted

There are no quick fixes in preparing for Ofsted inspections. Successful outcomes rely on a long-term, strategic approach. The four steps outlined here will help you to speak confidently to inspectors and understand what they are looking for. But more importantly, they will help to ensure that your department is serving the people who really matter – your students.

Ofsted has published “myth-busting” guidance on what inspectors don’t expect from schools. To summarise, previous inspection frameworks had been dominated by widely accepted, but thinly evidenced, “best practice” which seemed to be viewed positively by inspectors.

Examples included triple-marking and attempts to “show progress” every 20 minutes. Schools may choose to continue with such strategies, but must do so on the understanding that they are no more or less favoured than other strategies.