Ofsted - when are they likely to come??

[Cantinao]

Hi, so I know that in theory they can come whenever they want to, however…

we had our last inspection in January 2020 and achieved a ‘good’. Based on this, when are they likely to turn up? Will they prioritise schools who’ve not yet had an Inspection under the current framework?

We were good in December 18 and they didn’t come back until April 2024!

Sadly they don't follow any patterns so you can't predict, the idea is the element of surprise. We're well overdue (6 years) after a 'good' grading at the end of 2018. SLT have been acting as if they're certain to come next week for the last 2 years now. It's a ridiculous pressure to put everyone under.

At a previous school we were once re inspected pretty much 3 years to the day despite a previous good (which was retained), good data and no complaints. There is no rhyme or reason. Obviously they need to inspect again sooner if there were concerns, but if you were good previously you're considered 'in the Ofsted window' as soon as you're 3 years past the previous inspection. The 'window' can go on for years though, and even longer for previous outstanding grades schools. One "outstanding" school in our town hasn't has an Osted inspection since 2014! So much has changed since then, especially with Covid. How on Earth Ofsted aren't seeing schools like that as a priority is beyondn me. Outstanding 10 years ago definitely doesn't guarantee still outstanding now.

There's no predicting. We still haven't been seen after getting good in 2018. My last school go reinspected after 3 years after getting outstanding.

I wonder if there were concerns in the background resulting in them being reinfected so quickly?

They got a new head, so I'm assuming that triggered it. They kept their outstanding anyway.

We were inspected in October 2019 and my head reckons it's imminent.

There aren’t any patterns but as it is coming up to 5 years then the chances are increasing that they will come.

In my old school, we were inspected in May 2011 and then the next inspection was November 2019. 8 and half years later.

My current school that I took over in September had OFSTED in March 2024 and was RI. They were last visited in February 2019. That’s around 5 years gap. My predecessor left as a result of OFSTED along with other safeguarding issues that they would have been dismissed for if they didn’t resign. I’m expecting them for a follow up in the next 6 months.

I’d start to get ready now. It could be next week, next month, next year or 3 years. Who knows?

From OFSTED

Can I ask what the safeguarding issues were?

DS's school was last inspected 10 years ago. It was outstanding though, but has been through 3 or 4 heads since.

We’re still waiting from March 2019. Feel like it has to be soon but they are obviously quite delayed. In the framework they had it as definite that we would be inspected by end of this academic year (based on date of previous inspection) but it recently changed to ‘probably’. So who knows.

we are 'in the window' of inspection (keep getting told )
you'll get a phone call on a Monday and inspected Tue & Wed
when is the same length of a piece of string

OFSTED stands for OverPaid F***s Shafting Teachers Every Day. I am now retired, but I really feel sorry for any teachers who have to go through the Hell of an OFSTED visitation. These dreadful events are appallingly stressful, tiring, time-consuming and worthless.

We had OFSTED in June 2024 and prior to that it was November 2018 - both outstanding.

I’d say to expect it in the next 12 -18 months.

An outstanding school I worked in had an inspection gap of 12 years. The poor teachers were “inspection ready” for years and years.