Ofsted facts for kids
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| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1992 |
| Type | Non-ministerial government department |
| Jurisdiction | England |
| Employees | 1,275 |
| Annual budget | £168 million (2013–14) & £130 million (2018–2019) |
| Agency executives |
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| Parent department | Department for Education |
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) is a government department in England. It works for His Majesty's government and reports to Parliament. Ofsted's main job is to make sure that schools, colleges, and childcare services in England are doing a good job. They inspect these places to check their quality.
Ofsted also inspects adoption and fostering agencies. They check places that train teachers and regulate early years childcare. The head of Ofsted is called the Chief Inspector. Sir Martyn Oliver has been the Chief Inspector since January 2024.
Ofsted publishes reports about how well schools and other organisations are doing. These reports help parents and the government understand the quality of education and care.
Contents
Ofsted's Story: How It Started
Ofsted has been around for a long time in different forms. Here's a quick look at its history:
Early Days of School Checks
In 1833, the government started giving money to schools for poor children. To make sure this money was used well, they appointed two school inspectors in 1837. These inspectors checked how effective the schools were. They were chosen by the King's Council to make sure they were independent.
Over time, more inspectors were added. By 1876, inspectors were organised by area, not by the type of church school.
Expanding Inspections
After 1902, inspections grew to include state-funded secondary schools. Inspectors started to report on education across the whole country.
Ofsted Is Born
In 1992, the government created the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted). This new organisation took over supervising inspections of every state-funded school in England. Ofsted started publishing its reports for everyone to see. This helped schools, parents, and the government understand how schools were performing.
In 2001, Ofsted also became responsible for checking and registering day care and childminding services.
Growing Responsibilities
In 2007, Ofsted merged with another inspection service. This meant Ofsted started inspecting all government-funded education for students over 16. It also took on checking social care services for children. This included inspecting independent and boarding schools.
What Ofsted Does Today
Ofsted inspects or regulates many different services in England. These include:
- Local services for children.
- Childminding and day care.
- Children's centres.
- Children's social care.
- State schools and some private schools.
- Teacher training providers.
- Colleges and other learning providers.
Ofsted's job is to give independent advice to the government and Parliament. They publish an annual report about the quality of education in England. Ofsted has offices in several cities across England.
It's important to remember that Ofsted only covers England. Other parts of the UK have their own inspection bodies. For example, Education Scotland does similar work in Scotland.
Who Are Ofsted Inspectors?
Ofsted employs people called His Majesty's Inspectors (HMI). These inspectors are appointed by the King. As of 2009, there were over 400 HMIs. Many of them inspect schools, and all school HMIs have teaching experience.
How Inspectors Changed Over Time
When Ofsted first started, there were different types of inspectors. Some were 'registered' inspectors who led teams. Others were 'team' inspectors. There were also 'lay' inspectors, who came from outside education. This system changed in 2005.
Later, most school inspections were done by 'additional inspectors' (AIs). These AIs worked for private companies. However, in 2015, Ofsted decided to take more direct control. They brought the training and management of inspectors in-house. This meant many additional inspectors were not re-hired.
Today, about 70% of Ofsted inspectors are headteachers or school leaders. This means they have a lot of experience in education.
How Ofsted Inspects Schools
Ofsted regularly publishes reports on the quality of education in schools. Inspectors visit schools and give them a rating. Their goal is to help improve education and children's social care. Ofsted tells schools what they are doing well and what they need to improve.
These reports help parents, students, and employers make informed choices. Before 2005, schools were inspected for a week every six years, with two months' notice.
Changes to Inspections (2005–2012)
In September 2005, a new system started. Schools got only two days' notice before an inspection. Inspections usually lasted two or three days. Schools were encouraged to write a "Self Evaluation Form" (SEF). This form helped them understand their own strengths and weaknesses. Inspectors used the SEF to plan their visit.
After an inspection, Ofsted published a report online. Schools were given a rating on a 4-point scale:
- 1 (Outstanding)
- 2 (Good)
- 3 (Satisfactory)
- 4 (Inadequate)
Schools rated Outstanding or Good were inspected less often. Those rated lower were inspected more frequently.
New Ratings (2012–2015)
From January 2012, the "Satisfactory" rating was changed to "Requires Improvement." This meant schools at this level were expected to get better.
Different Types of Inspections
There are two main types of Ofsted inspections:
Full Inspections (Section 5)
A Section 5 inspection is a full inspection of a school. It's done under the Education Act 2005. This type of inspection gives a school an overall grade. It looks at many areas of the school's performance.
Monitoring Visits (Section 8)
A Section 8 inspection is a monitoring visit. It's used for different reasons:
- To check if a school rated "Inadequate" is improving.
- To inspect "Outstanding" schools if there are concerns.
- To gather information for the government on specific issues.
A Section 8 visit cannot change a school's overall grade. However, if serious concerns are found, it can lead to a full Section 5 inspection.
What a 2018 Report Looked Like
Ofsted reports usually include:
- The school's address and inspection dates.
- Overall effectiveness grade.
- Grades for leadership, teaching quality, personal development, and student outcomes.
- A summary of key findings for parents and students.
- Suggestions for what the school needs to do to improve.
The report also has detailed paragraphs explaining the grades. It includes data about the school and details of the inspection team.
Focus in 2020 Inspections
In 2020, Ofsted inspections focused on:
- How well students are kept safe (safeguarding).
- The quality of education.
- Student behaviour and attitudes.
- Personal development of students.
- Leadership and management of the school.
Special Measures for Failing Schools
A school is put into special measures if it is rated "Inadequate" in one or more areas. This means inspectors believe the school needs extra help to improve. Schools in special measures get support from local authorities. They also get frequent re-inspections from Ofsted. Sometimes, the school's leaders or governing body might be replaced.
Home Education Checks
Ofsted also has guidance for inspecting home-educated children. They make it clear that not all home-educated children need protection. Local authorities have a duty to find children not getting a suitable education. However, this duty does not usually extend to home-educated children.
Criticisms of Ofsted
Over the years, Ofsted has faced some criticism.
Concerns About Consistency
Some people have said that Ofsted's judgments can be inconsistent. For example, in 2013, many new schools were rated "Good" or "Outstanding." But at the same time, over 100 existing state schools were downgraded. This led to questions about how fair and consistent the ratings were.
A 2014 report suggested that some inspectors might not have enough knowledge to judge lessons fairly. It even said that judgments could be as unreliable as "flipping a coin."
Impact on Teachers
Many teachers have reported that Ofsted inspections cause extra workload and stress. A 2014 poll showed that over 90% of teachers felt inspections had a neutral or negative impact on student results. Some teachers have even considered leaving the profession due to the workload linked to Ofsted's demands.
Ofsted has stated it is not responsible for teachers' heavy workloads. However, teacher unions argue that the high-pressure system created by Ofsted contributes to stress.
Complaints Procedure
Ofsted's complaints procedure has also been criticised. Some feel it is not transparent and favors the inspectors. There have been claims that inspection judgments can be changed by senior figures without clear reasons.
Despite criticisms, Ofsted maintains that it is becoming more strict and demanding. It aims to ensure high standards in education and children's services.
Senior People at Ofsted
His Majesty's Chief Inspector
The Chief Inspector is the head of Ofsted.
- 1992–1994: Stewart Sutherland
- 1994–2000: Chris Woodhead
- 2000–2002: Mike Tomlinson
- 2002–2006: David Bell
- 2006–2011: Christine Gilbert
- January 2012 – December 2016: Sir Michael Wilshaw
- January 2017 – January 2024: Amanda Spielman
- January 2024 – present: Martyn Oliver
Chair of Ofsted
Since 2006, Ofsted has also had a board led by a chair.
- 2006–2010: Zenna Atkins
- 2011–2014: Sally Morgan, Baroness Morgan of Huyton
- 2014–2016: David Hoare
- 2017–2020: Julius Weinberg
- 2020–present: Christine Ryan
See also
