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.
Currently, schools in England will have full inspections every 4 years as part of the school inspection cycle. Schools will be notified of inspection from 9.30am on a Monday (with a few exceptions, such as if there is an urgent or monitoring inspection), with inspections starting the following day.
Changes to Ofsted Inspection
The new Ofsted Framework comes into place on 10th November 2025, and school inspections will change.
The NEU is extremely concerned about the new school inspection system. We believe it is likely to make working conditions worse, not better, for teachers, leaders and support staff.
The NEU will continue to call for an accountability system that is supportive, effective and fair and fosters a culture of collaboration between all stakeholders.
To find out more about the changes, how to navigate the new inspection system, and how to reduce the impact of inspections, take a look at our advice.