Governance is inspected as part of ‘leadership and management’
Ofsted inspectors assess governance as part of the overall judgement on ‘leadership and management’. There isn’t a separate judgement or grading for governance.
What inspectors are looking for
Ofsted looks at how well those “responsible for governance”:
- Understand their role and carry it out effectively
- Make sure the school has a clear vision, ethos, and strategic direction
- Make sure resources are well managed
- Hold executive leaders (the headteacher or CEO, for example) to account for educational performance
- Hold leaders to account for the quality of education or training
- Oversee the financial performance of the school
- Make sure the school fulfils its statutory duties (like the ones placed on schools by the Equality Act 2010, the 'Prevent' strategy or Keeping Children Safe in Education)
- Exercise strategic oversight of all aspects of safeguarding
- Promote the welfare of learners
- Make sure that the education the school provides has a positive impact on all its pupils