Section 48 inspections

Last reviewed on 5 January 2022
School types: All · School phases: All
Ref: 5097

If your school has a designated religious character, you're responsible for organising section 48 inspections on top of standard Ofsted inspections. Be clear on what these inspections are and how they work, so you can be confident in fulfilling this duty.

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Contents

  1. What is a section 48 inspection?
  2. You're responsible for organising inspections 
  3. How often are the inspections?
  4. Check the frameworks and processes with your local religious authority

What is a section 48 inspection?

If your school is designated as having a religious character, it'll have its denominational education and collective worship inspected under section 48 of the Education Act 2005.

These are conducted in addition to Ofsted inspections. 

This is explained in paragraphs 58 to 63 of Ofsted's school inspection handbook.

You're responsible for organising inspections 

Your job is to:

  • Appoint the inspecting body, and
  • Make sure inspections happen within the correct time frame for your school (see the section below)

In practice, once you've appointed the inspecting body, they'll organise all the practical bits, like when exactly the visits will happen.

Choosing and appointing the inspecting body is down to the:

  • Foundation governors in a voluntary controlled school 
  • Governing board in other maintained schools 

You need to do this in consultation with the relevant faith body – see here for the list.

This is

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