Ofsted will inspect safeguarding on a 'met'/'not met' basis
Under the 2025 inspection framework, safeguarding is its own evaluation area. Your school will either meet, or not meet, Ofsted’s safeguarding standards. This is different from the rest of the evaluation areas, which are graded on a 5-point scale.
This is because Ofsted expects your school to be completely compliant with statutory requirements (read more about this below).
During the planning call, the lead inspector will ask your school whether there are any relevant safeguarding matters that have been identified, including any safeguarding concerns or allegations made about adults.
What Ofsted is looking for
Your school is expected to have an open and positive safeguarding culture that puts pupils’ interests first. Leaders and governors should take an effective, whole-school approach to safeguarding.
This means that your school and your school's leaders should:
Be vigilant and recognise that