Collection

Independent school inspection: guidance and resources

Find guidance on how Ofsted inspects non-association independent schools – for inspectors, school leaders and staff.

• From: Ofsted
• Published: 11 February 2026

What happens during a school inspection

• Independent school inspection: toolkit, operating guides and information
  • 19 January 2026
  • Guidance

Information for school leaders and staff

The below documents are for school leaders and staff. Please note that the ‘Independent school inspection: toolkit, operating guides and information’ page includes some guidance that is for inspectors. We publish this for transparency.

• Independent school inspection: toolkit, operating guides and information
  • 19 January 2026
  • Guidance
• Ofsted inspections and visits: deferring, pausing and gathering additional evidence
  • 5 November 2025
  • Guidance
• Ofsted schools research
  • 27 June 2025
  • Collection
• Protected characteristics and separation by sex on school inspections
  • 5 November 2025
  • Guidance
• Registering and inspecting school-based provision
  • 10 September 2025
  • Guidance
• Memorandum of understanding: independent schools
  • 31 October 2025
  • Corporate report
• Ofsted Parent View: guidance for schools
  • 27 November 2025
  • Guidance
• Ofsted's code of conduct: collaborative inspection and regulation
  • 5 November 2025
  • Guidance

Guidance for inspectors

• Ofsted inspections and visits: deferring, pausing and gathering additional evidence
  • 5 November 2025
  • Guidance
• Ofsted: explore an area
  • 10 November 2025
  • Guidance
• Ofsted safeguarding policy
  • 7 November 2025
  • Guidance
• Protected characteristics and separation by sex on school inspections
  • 5 November 2025
  • Guidance
• Ofsted's code of conduct: collaborative inspection and regulation
  • 5 November 2025
  • Guidance
• Equality duties on education inspection
  • 5 November 2025
  • Guidance
• Unregistered school inspection handbook
  • 1 September 2022
  • Guidance

Education inspection framework

This document explains why we inspect schools (and other educational provision), including the legal requirements.

• Education inspection framework (EIF)
  • 9 September 2025
  • Guidance

Inspector training

• Ofsted Academy
  • 19 December 2025
  • Guidance

Glossary

• Glossary: education inspection terminology
  • 9 September 2025
  • Guidance

Published 11 February 2026