Update of Ofsted’s Schools Inspection Handbook and Independent Schools Inspection Handbook
On Friday, 6th October, Ofsted published an update for the various inspection handbooks. Please use the link button below to access the updated handbooks. For ease, we have also added a link to the DfE new exclusions and suspensions guidance. Although the exclusions and suspensions guidance is for maintained and academy schools, NMISS schools would benefit from an understanding of the principles set out in the guidance.
The changes to the handbook focused on three key areas:
- providing more detail on what evidence inspectors will ask schools to provide in relation to safeguarding, to prevent unnecessary workload for schools
- clarifying that inspectors will want schools to provide details about adults living on school sites
- minor changes to take account of the Department for Education’s new exclusions and suspensions guidance
In terms of providing details about adults living on school sites, the updated handbooks notes that inspectors will consider the school’s risk assessment in assessing the school’s safeguarding, if an adult does live on the premises. Schools will be expected to demonstrate they have fully assessed any risks to children, including in their safeguarding check of residents, in their assessing of access between the residential accommodation and the rest of the premises, and in their consideration of other individuals (such as family members and visitors) that will access the residential accommodation.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/independent-schools-inspection-handbook-eif
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-inspection-handbook-eif
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-exclusion#full-publication-update-history