Short inspections were introduced by Ofsted in September 2015, under the new common inspection framework, for schools previously rated good, and maintained nursery schools rated good or outstanding.
They last for one day and begin with the assumption that the setting will retain the same judgement.
Around 1/3 of short inspections are ‘converted’ to full inspections. They have come in for criticism that the last-minute nature of these inspections puts too much pressure on schools and inspectors.
So, Ofsted is proposing either:
- extending the time a full inspection, when converted from a short inspection, must be completed from within 48 hours to within a maximum of 15 working days. This would allow Ofsted to give inspectors five to 10 days’ notice of an inspection, and provide more certainty about the number of days they need to be away from their own school. Although where an inspection converts because of safeguarding concerns, the full inspection will still complete within 48 hours;
- putting in place an automatic full inspection in around one in five cases where Ofsted has prior evidence that a school or setting is in complex circumstances. Ofsted would select these schools and settings through its standard risk assessment process.
Consultation closes: 11:30pm on 18 August 2017
Consultation documents can be found here
