Management Information Sheet

Schools judged to be satisfactory overall, schools in Special Measures and schools with Notice to Improve are subject to monitoring by Ofsted.

Ofsted has recently written to schools already known to fall into these categories. Further guidance is likely to be published later this term, but the letter contains some important initial information for all schools we have summarised it below. We sought clarification of some points from HMI, and we have also included this.

Key Headlines

	About 40% of schools deemed satisfactory now or in the future will receive a monitoring visit under Section 8 of the 2005 Education Act.
	The satisfactory schools most likely to receive a monitoring visit are those where, 'inspection reports and subsequent performance indicate that they are making poor or indifferent progress,' since the previous inspection.
	Such visits will take place between 12 and 24 months following the last inspection.
	Schools will be informed that they are to be visited at the beginning of a four week 'window' although they will not be informed of the actual date of the visit.
	Such schools will be asked to forward 'key documents' to the regional inspection provider who will pass them on to the lead inspector.
	Monitoring visits will normally involve one inspector for one day.
	Monitoring inspectors will make two key judgements: progress since the last inspection the impact of such improvements in strengthening the school's capacity for sustained improvement.
	The judgements will be sent to the school in a letter, which will also be published on the Ofsted website.
	Inspectors are not able to make the school subject to Special Measures or give it a Notice to Improve during a monitoring visit. If either of the two judgements is deemed 'inadequate', however, a further Section 5 inspection will be carried out sooner.
	If during a monitoring visit, there has been a breakdown of trust in the school or behaviour has deteriorated markedly so that pupils' safety is not assured, the inspector can recommend a return monitoring visit. We believe that this will be done with no notice.
	Schools given a notice to improve will have a monitoring visit six to eight months after the inspection and will similarly be informed at the beginning of a 'four week window'.
	Different arrangements will apply where safeguarding has been judged inadequate: Visits will take place at 'the earliest opportunity' and be completely unannounced. Schools where this area of weakness has not been addressed at the time of monitoring will be placed in Special Measures.
	Where safeguarding inadequacies are the sole reason for a Notice to Improve, this will be the only monitoring visit.
	Schools in Special Measures will get 0 to 2 days notice of their first monitoring visit. Subsequent visits will follow the arrangements set out above for satisfactory schools.
	HMI have made it clear that there is no longer any 'three year cycle' for inspections. Each school will be assessed every year, and a decision taken as to whether to inspect it based on the school's performance and the outcomes of any monitoring visits.
	Although Ofsted's focus on satisfactory schools is increasing, they will also inspect some good and outstanding schools each year to maintain a balance.