Readiness for Ofsted Inspection Audit Tool

Is your school ready for inspection? SSAT’s Readiness for Ofsted inspection audit tool reconfigures the guidance underpinning the implementation of the new framework into a ‘one-stop doc’ to help school leaders with every aspect of ensuring they are well-prepared for an Ofsted visit.

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The new inspection framework is here. While some things remain similar, much has changed in terms of Ofsted’s school effectiveness focus, organisational arrangements, and operational approaches.

SSAT have combed through the 45k+ words of the toolkit and guidance documents to create a practical ‘one-stop doc’ to support school leaders prepare for the inspection process from the notification call until the end of inspection activity.

Designed to be used by school leadership teams, our interactive audit tool focuses on collaboration, reflection and criticality as key strands of readiness, whilst paying close attention to the importance of compliance with the expectations of inspection.

SSAT’s Readiness for Ofsted inspection audit tool includes sections to help school leaders with:

• Readiness for the prominence of inclusion and leadership within inspection
• Readiness of key information and documentation so that it is ‘good to go’ at the call
• Readiness for new facets to inspection, including the nominee role and case sampling
• Readiness for effective stakeholder involvement in the inspection process
• Readiness for school self-evaluation against the framework and grading system
• Readiness for all other practical demands within the inspection guidance

The audit tool will help school leaders and those responsible for governance in:

• Ensuring that practicalities of inspection are secure and unobtrusive on the day
• Building knowledge of inspection processes with all who will be involved
• Coming to informed and robust judgements that can withstand scrutiny
• Locating evidence of impact and validation of effectiveness so that it is close to hand
• Identifying, sharing and embedding key messages with all stakeholders
• Moving beyond inspection compliance to focus on demonstrating school culture

The audit tool is suitable for school leaders in primary, secondary and special schools.

Get the audit tool

Programme lead

Dr Keven Bartle, Senior Education Lead, SSAT

Keven has been a teacher for almost three decades and was headteacher at a richly diverse secondary school in London for nine years. Through his career, Keven has been committed to the power of education for social justice and transformation, working in schools where staff make a difference to the lives of children, families and communities.

Need additional support?

We are experts in offering tailored, in-person support to schools. As part of our Ofsted inspection support programme, we can work side-by-side with your leadership team in a non-judgemental manner. Please reach out to our education team to discuss.

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