ALL Briefing No 41
Theme: Ofsted School Inspection Handbook, September 2024
Ofsted has published updates to its state-funded school inspection handbooks as well as its deferral, pausing and gathering additional evidence policy, ahead of routine school inspections returning on 23 September 2024.
Background:
Our brief introduction
The Handbook sets out the grade descriptors that inspectors use to make their judgements and on which they report.
Graded inspections are carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. They were previously known as section 5 inspections.
… Ofsted’s education inspection framework (is used to) … grade the school for each of (the) key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth-form provision) …
… (The) handbook is primarily a guide for inspectors on how to carry out school inspections … This handbook should be regarded not as a set of inflexible rules, but as an account of the procedures of inspection.
You can read this Teacher Briefing in full here: Briefing 41 Changes to Ofsted School Inspection Handbook