Ofsted’s New Framework Explained
Author: Jennifer Haynes
It’s March 2026.
The new Ofsted framework is well underway, and the single-word judgement is gone. No more “Outstanding.” No more “Inadequate.”
Personally, I agree with this change. The old labels were simplistic. One word could never capture the full story of a school. This new report card system allows for a more holistic approach, showing where schools excel and where they can improve.
But the biggest change…
Inspections are no longer centred on the question:
“How good are your results?”
They are now driven by something much more meaningful:
“What is it like to be a child or learner in this school?”
That really shifts the focus of the inspection.
How will Ofsted assess learner experience?
Inspectors aren’t just visiting for a brief snapshot or a staged inspection. They are looking at everyday routines, talking to pupils, and checking whether the day-to-day life matches the school’s story.
The new report card model means strong attainment alone can't carry a school. You could be excellent in results but amber in wellbeing, or strong in curriculum but weaker in behaviour.
Of course, data still matters, but what learners actually go through now carries more weight.
I think this is a positive shift. But it also means schools need to focus on the whole picture of a learner’s school life, not just the week of inspection. The everyday really counts.
The framework emphasises professional dialogue over rigid toolkits. As Sir Martyn Oliver, who leads Ofsted’s inspection and regulatory work, says, inspections are now “done with, not done to” schools.
How are vulnerable learners’ voices heard in inspections?
Well, inclusion now has its own headline grade.
Previously it might have been hidden in other judgements, but it’s now distinct and informed heavily by learner experience.
Thousands of children told Ofsted in the “Big Listen” consultation that support for SEND and vulnerable learners matters deeply. Many felt unheard, and inspectors now must capture those voices accurately.
Schools should ask themselves:
Are your most vulnerable learners confident in explaining their experience?
Could inspector presence make them anxious, masking the reality?
Learners who are nervous or unsure don’t share honestly. And in a framework built on lived experience, this is massive.
How are learners’ views considered in safeguarding?
Safeguarding is now graded simply as “met” or “not met.” Inspectors are actively listening to pupils to understand how safeguarding works in practice:
Do you feel safe?
Do you know who to talk to?
How do your teachers respond when you raise concerns about bullying or if you’re struggling mentally?
This shift moves inspections from checking compliance to assessing confidence. Learners need clarity about processes, not scripts or rehearsed lines, but a real understanding of how to raise concerns safely. When pupils feel listened to and supported, inspections better reflect the school’s reality.
Which learners will inspectors speak to?
Inspectors now plan their activity with leaders to reflect the context of the school.
They may request to speak to:
Disadvantaged pupils
Learners with SEND
Alternative provision students
Specific year groups
Every group experiences school differently. So, preparation must now be tailored. Generic prep won’t work.
How can Peerscroller help schools prepare for inspections?
Official guidance is clear: schools should not create artificial performance or unnecessary workload in response to inspection.
Preparation must not become theatre. But understanding is not theatre.
Interestingly, the Ofsted Academy has made its training materials widely accessible. Leaders can now see far more clearly what inspectors look for, reducing the mystery. If adults can access that clarity, shouldn’t learners?
This is where preparation shifts from performance to equity. Peerscroller’s new Ofsted inspection video pack was designed around that principle.
Not to coach, script, or polish learners’ answers. But to give them a map of:
What an inspection is
Why inspectors ask certain questions
What honesty actually means
That it is safe to speak openly
Because ultimately, does the atmosphere during inspection reflect a typical Tuesday, or heightened anxiety?
When learners understand the process, anxiety drops. This has a twofold benefit:
1. Inspections are more likely to reflect a real day at school, showing how things actually work in practice.
2. Learners feel more comfortable and confident, knowing it’s safe to speak honestly without the fear of saying the wrong thing.
When both of these are in place, inspections are far more accurate and meaningful, and learners are better supported throughout the process.
So, let’s get learners ready for the question that really matters:
“What is it like to be a learner here?”