Inspection of independent schools

Guidance for Ofsted inspectors, resources for staff and parents. Inspection handbook, school action plans, emergency inspections.

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Guidance and regulation

• Independent school inspection: toolkit, operating guide and information
  • Guidance
  • 9 September 2025
  • Ofsted
• Regulating independent schools
  • Guidance
  • 21 August 2019
  • Department for Education
• Independent schools inspection handbook
  • Guidance
  • 21 January 2025
  • Ofsted
• Additional inspections of independent schools: handbook for inspectors
  • Guidance
  • 21 January 2025
  • Ofsted
• Inspecting non-association independent schools
  • Detailed guide
  • 23 May 2024
  • Ofsted

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News and communications

• Independent school inspections: letters to Ofsted and ISI
  • 27 August 2025
  • Department for Education
  • Correspondence
• Consultation on changes to official statistics on independent schools
  • 25 July 2023
  • Ofsted
  • News story
• Steiner schools: Amanda Spielman writes to Damian Hinds July 2019
  • 22 July 2019
  • Ofsted
  • Correspondence
• The Branch Christian School: warning notice
  • 11 February 2019
  • Department for Education
  • Correspondence
• Steiner schools: Damian Hinds writes to Amanda Spielman
  • 31 January 2019
  • Department for Education
  • Correspondence

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Research and statistics

• Non-association independent schools inspections and outcomes: management information
  • 11 September 2025
  • Ofsted
  • Statistical data set
• Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI): annual Ofsted report letters
  • 29 November 2024
  • Ofsted
  • Research
• Non-association independent schools inspections and outcomes in England: August 2024
  • 14 November 2024
  • Ofsted
  • Official statistics
• Non-association independent schools inspections and outcomes in England: August 2023
  • 14 November 2023
  • Ofsted
  • Official statistics
• Non-association independent schools inspections and outcomes in England: August 2022
  • 30 November 2022
  • Ofsted
  • Official statistics

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Policy papers and consultations

• Changes to Ofsted inspection fees for independent schools
  • 25 September 2025
  • Department for Education
  • Open consultation
  • Closing date 20 November 2025
• Regulating independent educational institutions
  • 6 May 2022
  • Department for Education
  • Consultation outcome
  • Date closed 27 November 2020
• Education inspection framework 2019: inspecting the substance of education
  • 29 July 2019
  • Ofsted
  • Consultation outcome
  • Date closed 05 April 2019
• Independent schools: Ofsted inspection fees
  • 6 June 2019
  • Department for Education
  • Consultation outcome
  • Date closed 16 January 2019
• Operating the independent school regulatory system
  • 30 April 2019
  • Department for Education
  • Consultation outcome
  • Date closed 05 June 2018

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Transparency and freedom of information releases

• Memorandum of understanding: independent schools
  • 31 October 2025
  • Ofsted
  • Corporate report
• Independent schools: applications, changes and closures
  • 30 October 2025
  • Department for Education
  • Transparency
• Independent schools: warning notices and enforcement letters
  • 30 October 2025
  • Department for Education
  • Transparency
• Responses to post-inspection surveys: inspections and visits between 1 September 2019 and 31 March 2020
  • 24 July 2020
  • Ofsted
  • Transparency
• Bridge School Inspectorate (BSI): annual Ofsted report letters
  • 16 November 2015
  • Ofsted
  • Corporate report

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Organisations

• Department for Education

• Ofsted