Guidance

Using Ofsted logos and copyright

Guidance on using Ofsted's logos, plus copyright information.

Applies to England

You may use and re-use information on Ofsted’s GOV.UK website (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium under the terms of the Open Government Licence. Please reference the source of the information, including a hyperlink.

You should send any enquiries about the use and re-use of any GOV.UK information to: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk. For any Ofsted-specific queries, please contact Ofsted’s Content team: contentteam@ofsted.gov.uk.

Ofsted logos

All Ofsted logos are protected under Crown Copyright. You can only use them with Ofsted’s express permission.

You should follow our guidance on logo use carefully and should not edit the logos in any way. We take action against those misusing Ofsted logos.

We have 4 categories of logo. Any other ‘logos’ that are in circulation, such as ‘Ofsted approved’ logos, are unofficial and should not be used.

You cannot use our main logo, unless in exceptional circumstances and with our express permission. We only permit specific third parties to use this when we are co-hosting events or co-authoring publications with them. This is because it is seen as endorsement. If you are working with us in this way, contact Ofsted’s Content team about the logo: contentteam@ofsted.gov.uk.

Our role is to inspect and regulate providers of education and care. We do not approve or endorse third-party training courses or companies in any way. The presence of the Ofsted logo or name on any other website, publication or product should not be taken as endorsement of any kind by Ofsted.

We take action against any third parties using our logo without our express permission, including any claims that the third party or their products are ‘Ofsted approved’ or ‘Ofsted endorsed’.

Ofsted outstanding and good logos

We have specific outstanding and good logos available for those we inspect. We give permission for those that we have graded as outstanding or good at their latest inspection to use the relevant logo.

If you have achieved one of these grades at your last inspection, you can download your outstanding or good logo. The download includes guidance on how to use it.

If you have not yet been inspected, or if you have not been graded outstanding or good at your last inspection, you cannot use any logo.

You must not mislead the public, intentionally or otherwise, into thinking that you are graded as either outstanding or good by using Ofsted’s logos when you are not. We take action against those who are misusing the outstanding and good logos in this way.

If you have a website that covers more than one provision, for example a chain of nurseries or a multi-academy trust, you must be clear which provision any logos that you use relate to.

If you have previously been judged as outstanding or good, but you have not been graded either of these at your last inspection, you must remove any historic logos from your websites, banners or marketing materials. This is to prevent misleading the public into thinking that you are still graded as either outstanding or good.

If your provision has closed and you reopen it under a new unique reference number (URN), your original provision ceases to exist in law and is replaced by a new and distinct legal entity. As a result, the inspection history and outcomes of the predecessor provision cannot, in law, transfer to the new one and you cannot continue to use any previous logos attached to the original URN.​​

We’re keen that schools and other education providers link to Ofsted Parent View to encourage parents and carers to complete the questionnaire. This includes the option to embed the Ofsted Parent View logo on their website.

Ofsted registered or effective childminder agency logos

If you run a childminder agency, there are 2 specific logos you can use.

You may use the childminder agency registered logo from the date you become registered with Ofsted. Do not use it while you are still in the process of applying for registration. If you are no longer registered, you must stop using it from the date your registration ends.

If you are judged effective at your most recent inspection, you may start using the childminder agency effective logo to show this achievement. However, if you have previously been judged as effective, but you have not retained that outcome at your last inspection, you must remove any effective logo from your website/banners/marketing materials.

If you need of either of these logos, please contact Ofsted’s Content team: contentteam@ofsted.gov.uk.

Published 24 April 2015
Last updated 13 October 2022 + show all updates
  1. Updated the name and contact email address for the Content team.

  2. Added specific section on logo use for childminder agencies.

  3. First published.