Ofsted
Inspectorate and regulator for education and children's services in England
| Ofsted
| |
|---|---|
| Type | Inspectorate and regulator[1] |
| Founded | 1 April 2007[2] |
| Area served | England[3] |
| Services | Inspection of education, training and children's services; regulation of early years and children's social care[1] |
| Key people | Martyn Oliver (His Majesty's Chief Inspector); Christine Gilbert (chair)[4] |
Ofsted is the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills. It inspects education and skills provision and inspects and regulates services caring for children and young people. Its remit includes maintained schools, academies, some independent schools, colleges, apprenticeship providers, prison education, childcare and local authority children's services.[1]
The original Office for Standards in Education opened on 1 September 1992. The present body corporate, with the expanded title including children's services and skills, was established under the Education and Inspections Act 2006; the relevant provisions came fully into force on 1 April 2007.[5][2]
School inspection became the subject of a major review following the death of Ruth Perry in January 2023. Christine Gilbert's independent learning review, published in September 2024, called for changes to Ofsted's culture, accountability and approach to inspection.[3]
Remit and institutional role
Ofsted states that it reports directly to Parliament, parents, carers and commissioners. It publishes inspection findings and advises policymakers about the effectiveness of education, training and care services. Its regulatory responsibilities include determining the suitability of early years and children's social care providers.[1]
The inspectorate describes a workforce of around 1,800 employees across eight English regions, supplemented by more than 2,000 directly contracted inspectors for schools and further education and skills. It is also a member of the National Preventive Mechanism, which monitors places of detention.[1]
Governance
Ofsted's board determines strategic priorities, objectives and targets for His Majesty's Chief Inspector and oversees whether the Chief Inspector's functions are performed efficiently and effectively.[4]
Ruth Perry and the independent learning review
Christine Gilbert's review was commissioned by Ofsted's Chief Inspector and chair in April 2024 following the death of Ruth Perry. The review records the coroner's conclusion of “suicide, contributed to by an Ofsted inspection carried out in November 2022”, and the finding that parts of the inspection lacked fairness, respect and sensitivity.[3]
Gilbert described a “climate of fear and frustration around school inspection” which had weakened trust in Ofsted. She argued that reform should lessen unnecessary inspection pressures while retaining rigorous scrutiny, and called for greater openness and less defensiveness in evaluating the inspectorate's own impact.[3]
Changes to education inspection
In September 2025 Ofsted announced a revised approach to education inspection for implementation that November. It set out report cards using five grades: “urgent improvement”, “needs attention”, “expected standard”, “strong standard” and “exceptional”. The reforms included a specific inclusion assessment, additional monitoring where provision required improvement, and an additional inspector on school inspections.[6]
Ofsted said that the revised operating guides would limit inspection-day hours, give greater attention to providers' circumstances and consider leadership support for staff well-being. It presented the changes as a response to its Big Listen exercise and a consultation which received more than 6,500 online responses.[6]
See also
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Ofsted, About us GOV.UK, accessed 6 November 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 UK Parliament, Education and Inspections Act 2006, section 112 legislation.gov.uk, 2006, accessed 6 November 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Christine Gilbert, Independent learning review for Ofsted by Dame Christine Gilbert Ofsted, September 2024, pp. 2–3, accessed 6 November 2026.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Ofsted, Our governance GOV.UK, accessed 6 November 2026.
- ↑ John Patten, School Inspections Hansard, 20 October 1992, accessed 6 November 2026.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Ofsted, Ofsted confirms changes to education inspection and unveils new-look report cards GOV.UK, 9 September 2025, accessed 6 November 2026.