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How Ofsted inspects 'quality of education'

Be clear on how your school's curriculum will be inspected under the 'quality of education' judgement.

Last reviewed on 10 October 2024See updates
School types: All•School phases: All•Ref: 36197
Contents
  1. Your role as a governing board
  2. The transition period ended in 2022, but Ofsted recognises your curriculum may still be changing
  3. Your school is expected to provide a 32.5-hour school week
  4. 3 central concepts: 'intent, implementation and impact'
  5. The inspection is a 3-stage process
  6. In a nutshell: what’s an 'outstanding' quality of education?
  7. Myths about the process, busted

Ofsted's updated School Inspection Handbook came into force on 16 September 2024. Read our summary of the key changes.

Your role as a governing board

As a governing board, you won't be inspected under Ofsted's 'quality of education' judgement. Find out how governance is inspected.

The sections below are about how Ofsted inspects your school's curriculum. You don't need to know this information in great detail, but understanding the basics can help you monitor your school's approach.

Read our article to find out what questions inspectors might ask you.

The transition period ended in 2022, but Ofsted recognises your curriculum may still be changing

However, even though the transition period has ended, Ofsted recognises that schools are likely to always be revising elements of their curriculum, and won't