Inspection readiness: what evidence schools need under the new Ofsted framework
With inspections restarting and now in motion from 1 December, it’s a good moment to review the evidence your school already gathers day to day. Here’s what inspectors may look at and how you can be prepared under the new framework.
What evidence inspectors will be looking for:
After an inspection, your school will receive a report card showing your performance across the 9 evaluation areas, each graded on a 5-point scale (you can read our earlier blog for more information).
To complete this, inspectors draw on first-hand encounters, conversations and the information you already use day to day.
Here are some of the things they're likely to look at:
Teaching and curriculum in practice: Learning walks remain a key part of the process. Inspectors will observe lessons, see how the curriculum is delivered across subjects, and discuss teaching with staff. They’re also likely to look at pupils’ work as another way of understanding curriculum and teaching.
Pupil experience: Inspectors gather first-hand evidence by speaking to pupils throughout the school day to understand learning, behaviour and safety. They will want to hear from a broad mix of pupils, including those with medical and mental health needs, those with SEND, and those who are looked-after, previously looked-after, or have a social worker. This helps them build a clear picture of pupil experience.
Governance and oversight: Inspectors speak with governors or trustees to understand how strategic leadership works in practice, including how policies are monitored, how leaders are supported and challenged, and how the school makes sure every pupil can thrive. This sits within how Ofsted evaluates leadership and governance.
Policies and routine documentation: Inspectors may review key policies, especially safeguarding, behaviour and attendance, to check they are clear, accessible and applied consistently. Routine records such as attendance data, behaviour information, safeguarding documentation and curriculum plans may also be considered. Having a strong approach to policy review helps make sure that these documents stay up to date and effective in practice.
Post-16 provision: In schools with sixth-form provision, inspectors will look at student work, student voice and how well the provision prepares students for their next steps. They’ll consider whether the school or college gives all students the knowledge and skills they need for future education, training or employment, in line with Ofsted’s approach to inspecting post-16 provision.
How to use the new inspection toolkit
As part of the new Ofsted framework (see our official summary summary of the changes), Ofsted has also introduced an inspection toolkit that sets out the criteria inspectors use and the evidence they draw on, giving leaders a shared reference point for what strong practice looks like.
💡 Top tip: use the inspection toolkit as part of your ongoing self-evaluation to evaluate your current provision and identify any weaknesses.
It also sets out the kinds of evidence inspectors draw on. This can help you reflect on how well your current processes capture what matters across areas like curriculum, inclusion and safeguarding. Different colleagues may find particular sections especially useful – for example, your SENCO may want to focus on ‘inclusion’, while your DSL looks at ‘safeguarding’.
The aim isn’t to rehearse an inspection, but to use the toolkit as a structured way to understand your strengths, spot gaps early and stay aligned with statutory expectations.
Common pitfalls to avoid
- Creating new documents or repackaging existing ones: The framework doesn’t require this, and inspectors draw on the documents you already use in your normal processes. Extra paperwork can add pressure without strengthening the evidence.
- Responding to the framework rather than your own priorities: It can be tempting to read each part of the framework and try to map actions directly to it. Leaders tell us this sometimes leads to activity that isn’t aligned with genuine school priorities. Inspectors want to understand your context and the rationale behind your decisions, not just see a checklist of compliance tasks.
- Not bringing the right colleagues into the loop early enough: When leaders responsible for key areas aren’t fully briefed, professional conversations during inspection can feel more challenging. After the notification call, sending clear reminders helps everyone feel prepared.
- Treating inspection preparation as a separate activity: Waiting until the notification call to review systems or self-evaluate often leads to a last-minute rush. When self-evaluation sits within your regular cycle, inspection becomes a continuation of your everyday work.
Quick prep checklist to feel inspection-ready
- Reassure staff and share quick reminders when the call comes: Send clear, supportive messages straight away so everyone feels calm and ready. Our pre-inspection checklist includes adaptable reminders for different teams, plus prompts to help you tailor them to your school.
- Review your provision against the new evaluation areas: Identify strengths and areas to develop so you’re ready for the planning call, when inspectors will ask where you believe your school currently sits in terms of the 5-point grading scale for each evaluation area. Our SEF guidance and template help you work through the evaluation areas in a clear, consistent way to support ongoing improvement across the year.
- Record your priorities in your school improvement plan: Set clear objectives, outline actions and track progress over time. Our SIP templates give you space to map out your priorities and monitor how each area is progressing.
- Know what IDs and checks inspectors will have: Inspectors arrive with official Ofsted ID badges showing their photo, name and ID number, and they’ve already been DBS-checked by Ofsted. You don’t need to check their DBS status yourself, but you should verify their badges and follow your usual visitor safeguarding protocols.
- Help staff feel confident speaking to inspectors: Use our article on questions Ofsted might ask you based on your role to give staff a clear sense of the conversations they might have. It brings together example questions for headteachers, other leaders, teachers and your school business manager, helping everyone feel more prepared for the day.
- Communicate your inspection outcome clearly and confidently: Use our template letter to explain your Ofsted report card, highlight key strengths and outline your next steps. This helps parents/carers, governors and staff understand what your result means for your school.
🎙️Listen now: For more insight into the thinking behind the new framework, listen to our interview with Sir Martyn Oliver on Trust Matters: Lessons in Leadership to hear his vision for a more supportive inspection system.
Want more support? Our Ofsted resource hub is here to guide you through the new framework in a clear, practical way. Whether you’re getting familiar with the changes, reviewing your provision or planning for the day of inspection, you’ll find tools to help you prepare at your own pace.
You’ll also be able to jump straight to all the linked articles, checklists and tools mentioned in this blog from 1 place.
If you’re not a member yet, you can start a free trial to access our full set of Ofsted resources, templates and step-by-step guidance.