Inside Ofsted: Key Takeaways from our information webinars

At Cranmer Institute, we are committed to keeping our network of schools informed and educated, and this goes beyond the subjects that are part of our network suite, to also include the latest developments in education policy. Recently, we hosted two online webinars featuring HMIs and Senior HMIs from Ofsted, giving educators an invaluable opportunity to hear first-hand about proposed changes and engage in a meaningful Q&A session.

Across the two sessions, we welcomed 37 attendees from 25 organisations including Secondary schools, Primary schools, Local Authorities, and Multi-Academy trusts. Here’s a summary of the sessions:

Building a Better Ofsted

Ofsted is evolving. Inspectors outlined efforts to refine their approach, ensuring inspections provide more meaningful insights while reducing unnecessary burdens on schools. Transparency and collaboration were key themes, with an emphasis on working alongside educators to drive improvements rather than imposing one-size-fits-all judgements.

Removal of Overall Effectiveness Grades

It was confirmed that the removal of the overall effectiveness grading will remain. This shift aims to provide a more nuanced understanding of school performance, focusing on specific strengths and areas for development rather than a single summative grade.

Consultation Overview

Ofsted want to know what you think about their proposed plans for inspecting schools and other settings where children and adults learn.

The webinars gave teachers and leaders an overview of the proposed changes, including:

• Report cards – including a new 5-point grading scale to evaluate more areas of a provider’s work and short summaries of what inspectors found.
• Education inspection toolkits – this tool aims to show providers and inspectors the evaluation areas that Ofsted will focus inspections on and how they will assess and grade providers.
• Inspection methodology – changes to how we carry out inspection.

Participants were strongly encouraged to respond to the consultation [LINK]

Introducing Ofsted Academy

A new initiative, Ofsted Academy will serve as a resource hub for inspector training materials. Schools will soon be able to access these materials, providing greater clarity on inspection processes and expectations, ultimately fostering a shared understanding between educators and inspectors.

Strong Foundations: A Focus on Quality

The importance of strong foundational education was another central topic. Inspectors reiterated their commitment to ensuring early years and primary education establish the solid groundwork needed for lifeline learning. Attendees engaged in discussions about curriculum depth, early literacy, and the role of professional development in achieving high standards.

Q&A: Addressing Key Concerns

The Q&A sessions allowed attendees to directly address their concerns with Ofsted representatives. Topics ranged from workload pressures to curriculum expectations, with inspectors offering clarity on how schools can best prepare for inspections under the new framework.

Looking Ahead These webinars provided a vital forum for dialogue between educators and Ofsted, reinforcing our shared goal of improving education for all. As these changes take shape, we will continue to support our network be providing up-to-date information and further opportunities for engagement. They also provided a valuable opportunity for our network schools to offer their support to Ofsted as volunteers for the new layout.

We look forward to hosting more events like this in the future to ensure our schools remain well-informed and well-prepared. If you are not currently a member of our Practitioner Network and would like to learn more about subscribing for the remainder of the Academic Year, or would like to enquire about subscribing for AY25/26, please get in touch at: [email protected].

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