School inspection in England is carried out by the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted).
Ofsted inspects schools and inspects and regulates a range of early years and children’s social care services in England. When it inspects schools, it aims to check the quality of education, safety, and leadership, improve standards and inform parents.
In Wales, inspection of schools is provided by Estyn.
A new Ofsted inspection framework came into place in November 2025 following consultation and a commitment to ‘reform’.
Use Navigating the new Ofsted framework to navigate the inspection system and reduce the impact of inspections
We recommend our Ofsted Risk Assessment to mitigate against the harms brought about by inspection.
Our Abolish Ofsted campaign aims for an accountability system that is supportive, effective and fair and fosters a culture of collaboration between all stakeholders.