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Ofsted promises “steady and assured” kickoff to renewed inspections — here’s what providers and schools need to know
Ben Ellison
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We knew the new Ofsted framework kicks in from 3 November 2025 - but there’s been a lot of chatter about whether the autumn inspection run-up would feel rushed. Today’s announcement from Ofsted should settle a lot of that.
👉 What’s happening in autumn?
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Inspections paused until November, with a pilot phase in early autumn. Ofsted will carry out trial inspections in volunteer schools ahead of the official roll-out Twinkl.
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All inspectors — including the senior ones — will go through enhanced training and quality checks, overseen by Ofsted’s National Director, Lee Owston HMI Twinkl+1GOV.UK+1.
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Fewer live inspections scheduled for November and December, with no inspections in the week before Christmas to allow extra staff training The Guardian+5Twinkl+5The Times+5.
🗣 Listening, and learning as we go
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Ofsted will hold exit interviews, drawing feedback from a random sample of inspected providers, and also send a post-inspection survey to all — so your experiences count National Education Union+2Twinkl+2GOV.UK+2.
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They also plan regular check-ins with sector reps through November and December to fine-tune how the framework lands The Times+6Twinkl+6YouTube+6.
🛠 Practical next steps for providers
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Expect system downtime: fewer inspections early on, but definitely not zero.
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Prepare for pilot inspections — you might be contacted to take part.
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Line up staff training time in late November/early December.
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Be ready to share real-time feedback to help smooth things out.
🧭 The bottom line
Ofsted’s move to pilot inspections, beef up training, and tap direct feedback is a smart, cautious path for a major shift. That’s good news for sector leads — it gives time and space to adapt.
Reminder: The new framework starts 3 November 2025. If you haven’t downloaded the guidance yet, now’s the time.
