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Guidance

Ofsted inspections and visits: deferring, pausing and gathering additional evidence

Ofsted's policy for considering whether to defer or pause an inspection or visit, or whether additional evidence needs to be gathered.

From:
Ofsted
Published:
13 March 2020
Last updated:
1 September 2026 — See all updates

Applies to England

This policy sets out the processes that inspectors should follow when considering whether to defer or pause an inspection or visit, or whether additional evidence needs to be gathered.

In most instances, this involves deciding whether an inspection or visit should go ahead on the planned dates and/or within the planned timescales.

In this policy, we refer collectively to those we inspect as ‘providers’ (of education or care) for ease of reading. We also refer collectively to those who receive education or care from these providers (including children, young people, pupils, learners, apprentices and trainees) as ‘children, young people and learners’, for the same reason.

Introduction

1. We inspect in the best interests of children, young people and learners. When we have scheduled an inspection or visit, it should take place unless there are exceptional circumstances. However, we understand that there will be times when it cannot go ahead or needs to be paused, when it is incomplete and/or when we need to gather additional evidence. This policy sets out how and when we make decisions in these circumstances.

2. Deferring an inspection or visit means that we reschedule it because it cannot go ahead on the planned dates. This usually happens during the notification process, and in most cases will be before inspectors arrive on site. For inspections without notice, it will be at the first opportunity after inspectors arrive.

3. Pausing an inspection is when an inspection or visit that has already started has to be paused (and so inspectors will leave if they are on site) and will resume at a date or time later than the inspection day(s) that were originally scheduled. A paused inspection can become an incomplete inspection if the pause goes on beyond the time specified in this policy.

4. The gathering additional evidence process applies to:

  • an inspection or visit that is found to be incomplete after the on-site activity has ended: this includes when our quality assurance or complaints processes identify that further inspection activity is needed to make sure that the evidence and inspection outcomes reached are secure

  • an inspection or visit that has been paused for a period beyond the time frames set out in the annex to this guidance

  • an inspection that has been suspended in order to allow a school or further education (FE) and skills provider to resolve safeguarding issues

It no longer applies once the final version of the inspection report or report card (which we refer to as ‘report’ for ease of reading) has been sent to the provider and/or the Secretary of State.

What this policy applies to

5. This policy only applies to our work in England; there may be different arrangements for any inspection work we do outside England. It applies to inspections of/visits to the following providers:

6. The policy also applies to the following providers that we inspect under the Children Act 2004 and for which we are also the regulator:

  • early years and childcare provision (under sections 49, 60 and 77(2)(b) of the Childcare Act 2006)

  • childminder agencies (under sections 51D and 61E of the Childcare Act 2006)

  • residential special schools, some boarding schools, and residential provision for 16- and 17-year-olds in further education colleges and independent specialist colleges (under section 87 of the Children Act 1989)

  • local authority children’s services (ILACS) and secure training centres (under the Education and Inspections Act 2006)

  • local areas, inspected as part of our joint targeted area inspections (JTAIs) (carried out under section 20 of the Children Act 2004)

  • area special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) services for children and young people (under section 20 of the Children Act 2004)

  • children’s homes, including secure children’s homes, secure 16 to 19 academies, adoption support agencies, voluntary adoption agencies, independent fostering agencies, residential family centres, supported accommodation and residential holiday schemes for disabled children (under the Care Standards Act 2000), as well as secure 16 to 19 academies (under the Education and Inspections Act 2006)

  • The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) (including focused and monitoring visits) (under the Education and Inspections Act 2006)

Part 1: Deferrals

7. We put the best interests of children, young people and learners first. We will only consider granting a deferral in exceptional circumstances. Anyone requesting a deferral will need to evidence the reasons for their request.

Circumstances for deferring Ofsted inspections and visits

8. There are a limited number of circumstances in which we may decide to defer an inspection. The examples below show where we could potentially grant a deferral. They do not provide automatic grounds for a deferral and are not exhaustive. We will consider each case separately and on its own merits, including (where applicable) considering whether:

  • the provider is under regulatory or enforcement action

  • the reasons for requesting the deferral have the potential to undermine statutory requirements, such as a registered early years provider continuing to meet the conditions of registration, including ‘fitness to practice’

9. Normally, we will only defer an inspection if:

  • going ahead would have a severe impact on the wellbeing of a senior leader (such as the headteacher, proprietor, centre manager, childcare provider, nominated individual, ITE provider representative, nominated lead provider representative, director of children’s services (DCS), registered manager and/or registered provider), and there is no other delegated senior leader who can step in (for example, a deputy headteacher or manager) or there is no one from the responsible body available to support them and/or reduce the impact on their wellbeing; where this is the case, the inspector must have evidence that the absence of the provider’s leader does not leave children or vulnerable adults at risk of harm

  • the headteacher, proprietor, centre manager, childcare provider, nominated individual, ITE provider representative, nominated lead provider representative, DCS, registered manager and/or registered provider or similar authority, or a member of the provider’s senior management team is subject to a current police investigation or serious concern from another agency that would be compromised by an inspection of, or visit to, the provider

  • the provider has experienced a recent major incident, such as a fatality involving a child, young person or learner or a member of staff; a serious injury or serious/infectious illness at the provider; the death of a member of a household where childcare takes place; or a serious incident where the presence of an inspector would have an adverse impact on the wellbeing of children, young people and learners

  • the provision is confirmed as being due to merge, close or move and we decide that there would be no useful purpose in inspecting it (if an independent school is within 6 months of confirmed closure, the inspection will normally still go ahead; we will inform the DfE of the timescale within which the school expects to close)

  • concerns in a local area mean that an inspection would be inappropriate (such as a security incident or other major incident in which the police and senior leaders are focused on public safety)

  • the provider will be closed to all users – for example, because of a staff training day or adverse weather conditions that make access difficult or dangerous – for at least half of the time for which the inspection has been scheduled; (this does not apply to pre-registration inspections of independent schools)

  • at least three quarters of the users will not be on site or with their employer – for example, because of a school trip, holiday or religious festival – for at least half of the time for which the inspection has been scheduled (this does not apply to inspections of registered childcare settings or pre-registration inspections of independent schools)

  • a school has very recently converted to become an academy; in these circumstances, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector (HMCI) reserves the right to go ahead with the inspection if they deem it necessary, or to schedule the academy’s first inspection for a later date

  • an FE and skills provider, ITE provider or an ECTP or NPQ lead provider is no longer receiving relevant public funding

  • a childminder agency no longer has childcare providers registered with it (see Inspection of childminder agencies: requirements for Ofsted)

  • there are circumstances that compromise our ability to gather sufficient evidence to reach valid and reliable inspection outcomes

  • there has been another major incident that has had a significant effect on the day-to-day running of the provision or on the inspection

  • a state-funded school with a religious character has already been notified of an inspection under section 48 of the Education Act 2005 (or equivalent inspection in an academy), as long as there are no exceptional circumstances that would require the inspection to proceed

  • there are other exceptional circumstances that the relevant Ofsted regional/national director decides warrant a deferral

10. Building or refurbishment work is not normally a reason for deferral if the provider is open and users are on site. However, if the provider is significantly disrupted by measures taken to deal with reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), we will consider these deferral requests carefully as an exceptional circumstance.

11. Inspections of/visits to schools or FE and skills providers may still go ahead when all (or substantial numbers of) children, young people and learners are not on site but continue to be educated through remote or blended learning.

12. The absence of the headteacher, registered manager or registered provider, clinical commissioning group’s chief executive or the DCS or their equivalent will not normally be a reason for deferring an inspection.

13. The presence of an adviser or supporting organisation from the DfE’s Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence (RISE) programme will not normally be a reason for deferring an inspection.

Requesting a deferral

14. Providers should make a deferral request at the earliest possible opportunity (usually before 4.30pm on the day of notification) to the inspection support administrator or the inspector who notifies the provider of the inspection. They can do this by telephone or in person. They should also confirm it in writing (preferably by email) so that we can consider it promptly.

15. We normally expect any deferral request to come from the headteacher, proprietor, centre manager, childcare provider, nominated individual, ITE provider representative, nominated lead provider representative, registered manager and/or registered provider, or similar authority. However, if a state-funded school is part of a trust, we expect any deferral request to be made jointly by the headteacher and the trust. In these cases, we will ask the headteacher making the deferral request to confirm that they have agreed this with their trust, and anyone from a trust making a request to confirm that they have agreed it with the headteacher. If they cannot confirm this, we will consider the request on a case-by-case basis, taking the context into account. A deferral request may come from someone else if the usual people listed above are absent or ill. In those cases, the relevant Ofsted regional director (RD) will determine whether the inspection will take place, in consultation with the relevant national director, as appropriate.

16. We will not normally consider a deferral once an inspection has started (see guidance below on inspections without notice), but we could consider pausing the inspection instead. In exceptional circumstances, we may need to consider whether an unannounced inspection should go ahead.

17. When considering a deferral, we will take into account whether the timing of a rescheduled inspection would fall outside any intervals or inspection windows prescribed in law or by the DfE or the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). For regulated early years and social care settings, we will also carry out a risk assessment to determine whether any other regulatory responses would be appropriate. We will continue to plan for the inspection while considering the request for deferral. If we agree to defer the inspection of a state-funded or non-association independent school, we can notify that school of the new inspection date on any day of the week, not just on a Monday.

18. In exceptional circumstances, it may prove difficult to contact the provider to notify them of an inspection. In these cases, the inspection will normally still go ahead. We will continue to try to contact the provider. If there continues to be no answer, we will carry it out as an unannounced inspection.

Considerations for deferring specific inspections

Monitoring inspections of maintained schools and academies

19. During monitoring inspections, the presence of the headteacher is important in helping inspectors understand the school’s improvement journey. We are, therefore, more likely to defer the monitoring inspection if the headteacher is out of school, unless they are absent for a prolonged period, for example due to ill health.

Non-association independent school inspections

20. We may defer an inspection of a non-association independent school if the headteacher or proprietor (when this person is the only person with leadership responsibility in the school) is unavoidably absent. This decision is at the discretion of the relevant Ofsted RD.

21. When an independent school is also the provider of a regulated social care service, we will carry out a risk assessment to consider whether any other regulatory responses would be appropriate.

22. When a school requests a deferral of its inspection because there are no pupils on roll, and the DfE is already taking regulatory or enforcement action against the school, we will not agree to defer the inspection on these grounds alone.

23. If we are informed that a non-association independent school has already closed or that it is no longer operating as a school, we will consult the DfE. The DfE may commission us to carry out an emergency inspection to check compliance with the independent school standards.

24. We will always inform the DfE if we grant a deferral of any type of non-association independent school inspection.

25. Non-association independent schools are charged a fee for standard, pre-registration and progress-monitoring inspections, as explained in the Operating guide for standard inspections of non-association independent schools. An inspection fee will always be charged unless we grant a deferral before the start of on-site inspection activity.

26. If, when notifying a non-association independent school of an inspection, it proves difficult to contact the provider, we will contact the DfE to check whether it has any reason to believe that the school is no longer operating and to confirm that the inspection is still required. If the DfE decides that the inspection should be cancelled, it will withdraw the commission for the inspection.

Non-association independent schools: pre-registration inspections

27. Pre-registration inspections will not go ahead if, before we notify the proposed school of its inspection, the DfE informs us that the proposed school has withdrawn its application for registration. The inspection fee may still be payable, as set out in the Inspection information for non-association independent schools.

28. All requests to defer a pre-registration inspection after the notification call has been made will be decided in accordance with the DfE’s Independent school registration guidance. Requests must be made to the DfE, and the lead inspector must be informed. The lead inspector may share their views on whether to accept the deferral request with the DfE. The DfE will consider the merits of the applicant’s request and Ofsted’s view, in coming to a decision, and will notify the lead inspector of its decision. The decision will be communicated to the applicant by the DfE.

29. If a proposed new school strongly resists a pre-registration inspection, we will report this to the DfE.

Non-association independent schools: material change inspections

30. We will not normally defer a material change inspection on the grounds that the school has stated that it is not ready for inspection. The DfE expects schools to be ready for a material change inspection, since the school will want to implement the change in the near future. The timing of the inspection will have been determined by information that the DfE gives Ofsted in its inspection commissioning form. This will include the date that the school intends to implement the change (if it is approved by the DfE).

31. In the notification call, a school may tell us that it no longer wishes to continue with its application to make a material change. In these cases, we will inform the DfE. The inspection will normally not go ahead.

Area SEND inspections, ILACS and JTAIs

32. We do not normally defer area SEND inspections, monitoring inspections or thematic visits; ILACS short or standard inspections, or focused or monitoring visits; or JTAIs. We will only do so in exceptional circumstances. National reforms will not be grounds for deferral, because maintaining effective oversight of education, SEND provision and children’s social care during this time is critical. If local areas are concerned about the timing of an inspection, they may submit a deferral request to the lead inspector during the notification call. We will consider each request on a case-by-case basis, jointly with our relevant inspection partners: the Care Quality Commission (CQC), His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services, and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation. If a local area requests a deferral of its inspection/thematic visit, the lead inspector must notify Ofsted through the appropriate region as soon as possible.

Part 2: Pausing an inspection

33. When a deferral is no longer possible because the inspection has started, we can still pause the inspection. We will only do this if there are exceptional circumstances that mean the inspection cannot reasonably proceed. This also applies to regulatory visits in early years and social care. In each case, we will carefully weigh up the risk of pausing against the risk of continuing, always acting in children’s, young people’s and learners’ best interests. In some instances, pausing an inspection will not be appropriate, such as in situations where we are concerned that children, young people and/or learners may be at risk of harm (see below). In inspections of which providers were given no notice, we may still choose to defer the inspection at the first opportunity after inspectors arrive.

34. In the guidance below, when we refer to the ‘lead inspector’:

  • in most cases, this will be the inspector from Ofsted who is in charge of the inspection

  • in some cases, it will be the sole inspector on the inspection

35. When we refer to the ‘senior inspector’, this will be the most appropriate senior inspector, depending on the remit.

36. In the guidance below, we refer to contacting and passing information to the leader’s employer if we have serious concerns about their welfare. For example, for state-funded schools, the employer would be the local authority, the board of governors or the trust. However, some leaders have no clear employer, often because they are also the proprietor or owner of the provider and, therefore, have ultimate responsibility.

37. Before considering a formal pause, lead inspectors should consider whether other options are appropriate, such as visiting a different location to complete the inspection or interviewing another member of staff. Inspectors should aim to complete the inspection wherever possible, with appropriate adjustments to the timetable as needed.

38. If inspectors see or suspect that a person is upset or distressed during the inspection, they should respond sensitively. Inspectors should treat all those they meet on inspection with professionalism, courtesy, empathy and respect in line with the Code of conduct, and work in a way that does not create significant additional stress for leaders. It is entirely appropriate and acceptable for leaders to take a break from inspection or regulatory activities, as long as inspectors can complete the inspection within the planned timescale. In exceptional circumstances, the inspection may be extended. This would not be considered a ‘pause’ to inspection. Where appropriate, the lead inspector will inform the employer of any serious concerns. Before doing this, they should contact a senior inspector in the region or regulatory inspection manager (RIM)/senior officer (SO) or quality-assurance manager, where possible.

39. Before or on arrival at the provider, the lead inspector will normally ask leaders who is responsible for their welfare. This is usually their employer. Where applicable, inspectors will record the contact details of this individual or organisation. If there is no employer, leaders can provide the name of someone else who we may contact in an emergency. Before contacting this person, inspectors should first contact a senior inspector in the region or RIM/SO or quality-assurance manager, where possible.

40. If leaders have not supplied the details of their employer or someone else to contact in an emergency, or if inspectors cannot make contact with this person, then inspectors are not expected to investigate who else to contact. They should report the emergency to the relevant senior inspector (through the duty desk where applicable).

41. We may also contact other appropriate authorities in an emergency. Inspectors should first contact a senior inspector in the region or RIM/SO or quality-assurance manager, where possible.

42. If the lead inspector believes that they need to stop all inspection activity temporarily, they will consider formally pausing the inspection. This pause requires approval from the RD, who will make the final decision. This will only happen in exceptional circumstances, for example:

  • circumstances that compromise our ability to gather sufficient evidence to reach valid and reliable inspection outcomes

  • circumstances in which leaders require support (for example, from their employer) because there are concerns about their wellbeing

  • a major incident that has a significant effect on the day-to-day running of the provision

  • a major incident that has a significant effect on the inspection

Process for pausing an inspection

43. We will not normally consider pausing an inspection if we are concerned that children, young people and learners may be at risk of harm, or where there is regulatory or enforcement action against a provider. The safety and wellbeing of children, young people and learners are our priority. In these circumstances, we may take other steps instead of pausing, such as extending the inspection or taking a short break.

44. Any pause will usually be initiated by the lead inspector. The provider may request a pause, either from the lead inspector or the contact at Ofsted they were given at notification. Open, honest and professional discussion sits at the heart of the decision-making process.

45. If the lead inspector considers that an inspection may need to be paused, they should use the relevant quality-assurance support for that type of inspection. They will contact a senior inspector (including through the duty desk) or RIM/SO or quality-assurance manager as appropriate (see table in annex) and their RD.

46. The lead inspector will set out the reason for the proposed pause and suggest whether any alternatives may be appropriate. These may include having a senior inspector take a remote, desktop review of the electronic evidence, or sending a senior inspector to quality assure the inspection.

47. The senior inspector will check that inspectors have taken appropriate steps in response to concerns about the health or wellbeing of senior staff.

48. The lead inspector should always seek the provider’s views when deciding whether to pause an inspection. The provider may want to make alternative arrangements to allow the inspection to continue and/or take appropriate steps to ensure that continued leadership is in place, depending on the circumstances.

49. Any final decision needs to be made in line with the decision-making table in the annex to this guidance.

Length of the pause

50. The senior inspector and the lead inspector should consider the length of the pause. This will vary on a case-by-case basis. In most circumstances, the inspection should resume on the next working day or at the earliest opportunity.

51. In deciding the length of the pause, we will consider how quickly the provider can confirm to inspectors that the issues leading to the pause have been addressed and that there is no significant negative effect on its day-to-day operations.

52. In most cases, we would not expect a pause to extend beyond the period set out in the table in the annex. This depends on leaders’ capacity to maintain their day-to-day operations and/or on inspectors’ availability.

53. The length of the pause should balance the views of the provider with the circumstances leading to the pause and the need to put children, young people and learners first. Inspectors should be aware of the additional pressure that an extended pause can have on all those involved in an inspection.

Process for the provider requesting a pause to an inspection

54. If a provider wishes to request a pause to an inspection, they should normally ask the lead inspector.

55. If the provider has concerns that they do not feel they can discuss with the lead inspector (for example, if the issue relates to the lead inspector or the inspection itself), they should contact a senior inspector on the number given to them during the inspection notification, or the provider contact helpline.

56. The senior inspector will listen carefully and record what has been said. Then, depending on the nature of the issue, they will usually contact the lead inspector to discuss the concern and decide how to proceed.

Next steps

57. If the decision is taken to pause the inspection, we will tell leaders (usually in person but always with a follow-up email from the lead inspector or senior inspector on behalf of the region):

  • that the inspection is being paused

  • the likely time frame for returning

  • that this will not affect the findings of the inspection, and no inspection outcomes have yet been reached

  • that we will inform them when the inspection resumes, which will be within the time frame already stated

  • that the inspection team may be different when the inspection resumes

58. If the decision is taken not to pause the inspection, the lead inspector/senior inspector should tell leaders why we made this decision. They should also set out what other steps (if any) we are taking. The inspection team must keep a record of these details.

59. The lead inspector should make sure that any relevant information about staff welfare and the welfare of children, young people and learners is passed on appropriately before leaving the site (or ending the off-site inspection).

Resuming the inspection

60. The inspection should resume in line with the agreed likely timeline. The circumstances leading to the pause will determine when and how the lead inspector will contact the provider to resume the inspection.

61. In some very exceptional cases, a pause may need to be longer than originally anticipated. In these circumstances, the inspection may need to be treated as an incomplete inspection.

62. When deciding whether to treat an inspection as incomplete and use the ‘gathering additional evidence’ protocol, we will take account of:

  • the extent of the activity that remains to be completed

  • the size and complexity of the inspection and whether we will be able to reschedule it in a timely way (this is especially relevant in joint inspections)

  • why the pause was extended and whether the circumstances leading to the pause remain

63. The senior inspector must keep the provider informed throughout this process. They must also ensure that the Ofsted manager responsible for making the final decision has agreed to it.

Considerations for pausing specific inspections

Aligned/integrated inspections of state-funded or independent boarding schools and residential special schools

64. If a boarding or residential special school’s education inspection is aligned/integrated with an inspection of its boarding or residential provision, any decisions on whether to pause the inspection will be made separately for the two parts of the inspection. Because there are different risks to children and young people in boarding and residential accommodation, we may make a different decision for each element of the inspection. One inspection can be paused while the other continues. In these cases, the inspection would no longer be aligned/integrated. However, we are not planning to carry out any aligned inspections in the 2025/26 academic year, except in exceptional circumstances. We expect to resume aligned inspections from September 2026.

Independent school inspections

65. We will always inform the DfE if we pause any type of independent school inspection.

FE and skills

66. We normally ask leaders who is responsible for their welfare. This is usually their employer. If they do not have an employer, leaders can give us the name of someone else who we may contact in an emergency. The lead inspector will also inform the inspection nominee if there are any serious concerns.

Area SEND, ILACS and JTAIs

67. Area SEND inspections, ILACS and JTAIs all have evidence-gathering activities carried out both remotely and on site. Area SEND inspections and JTAIs are carried out jointly with other inspectorates. If issues arise, inspectors will first consider changing the timing of a planned activity, and/or substitute that with another activity, such as visiting a different provider or office, rather than pausing the inspection. Each case will, however, be considered on its own merits, and will require coordination and agreement with the other inspectorates, where relevant.

ITE inspections

68. When the event is a multi-phase inspection of ITE provision, it may be appropriate to pause only one phase of the inspection. As with some FE and skills providers, if there is no employer responsible for leaders’ welfare – for example, in ITE independent learning providers – leaders may provide the name of an alternative contact for emergencies. The lead inspector will also inform the inspection nominee if there are serious concerns.

Secure training centres

69. Secure training centre inspections are carried out jointly with CQC and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons. Any decision will require coordination and agreement with the other inspectorates.

Part 3: Gathering additional evidence protocol

70. This protocol applies:

  • when we need to gather additional evidence to secure the inspection evidence base

  • when a pause to an inspection goes on beyond the time specified in Part 2 (Pausing an inspection)

  • when an inspection has been suspended in order to allow a school or FE and skills provider to resolve safeguarding issues

71. Part 3 of this guidance does not usually apply to thematic visits or individual visits that contribute to a wider report. For area SEND thematic visits, for example, we do not publish reports about individual areas or reach inspection outcomes for individual areas. We visit a small number of areas and share our findings in a national report. In rare instances when, due to exceptional circumstances, a thematic visit extends beyond the time specified in part 2, we will decide whether we have sufficient evidence from other visits to base our report findings on.

72. If the evidence base is insecure or the inspection has been paused or suspended, we may need to gather further information in order to confirm and report on the inspection findings.

73. This policy does not apply when we have sent the final version of the inspection report to the provider.

74. This policy also does not apply when an inspection may be unreliable for reasons other than an insecure evidence base, including when:

  • it may have been carried out using an incorrect statutory power

  • the inspection outcomes relied on assessing matters or activities that fall outside our remits

In these circumstances, the regional director (RD), their relevant designated officer (RD’s delegate) or other relevant decision-maker should seek urgent legal advice before taking further action.

Incomplete inspections following a decision that the evidence base is insecure

75. The RD, the RD’s delegate or other relevant decision-maker will refer to the evidence base and any other appropriate material to decide whether the evidence base is secure.

76. If the decision-maker considers that parts of the inspection evidence base are insecure, they will consider whether legal advice is required from our legal services team. The decision-maker will normally arrange for an evidence base review to be carried out.

77. Circumstances in which we may decide that an inspection is incomplete include:

  • when the evidence that the inspection team gathered and recorded does not substantiate key inspection outcomes

  • when the conduct of the inspection means that we cannot rely fully on the evidence gathered and recorded to provide a fair and accurate view of the provider

  • when the inspector or inspection team have not gathered sufficient evidence, or evidence of sufficient quality, to gain a fair and accurate view of the provider

  • when, after the inspection but before we sent the final version of the inspection report to the provider, we received information that applied to the provider at the time of inspection; and that information means we need to review and reapply the evidence gathered at the inspection against the inspection outcomes

  • the inspector or inspection team was not able to complete their on-site evidence-gathering for reasons beyond their or the provider’s control

Incomplete inspections following a pause in inspection

78. When an inspection is paused beyond the time specified in the annex, it automatically becomes an incomplete inspection.

79. If an inspection paused for less time than that specified in the annex, it may turn into an incomplete inspection if it cannot resume within that timescale.

80. A paused inspection that is deemed incomplete will normally require a further on-site visit.

Incomplete inspections following the inspection being suspended to allow a school or FE and skills provider to resolve issues with safeguarding

81. When we suspend an inspection to allow a school or FE and skills provider to resolve issues with safeguarding, it will automatically be considered an incomplete inspection. We will need to do an on-site visit to complete the inspection, following the steps set out below.

What happens when we decide to gather additional evidence

82. We will take steps to secure or complete the evidence base. These may include a further visit to the provider to gather more evidence. Before visiting, inspectors will assess the security of evidence already gathered and will ordinarily use and build on that evidence unless it is not appropriate to do so, for example because it is insecure or out of date. They will determine the appropriate weight to give to existing evidence in the circumstances. We will confirm that the evidence base is secure and that the inspection process is complete before the inspection report is finalised.

83. Once we have decided that we need to secure or complete the inspection evidence, the decision-maker will normally write to the provider to:

  • explain why additional evidence is required

  • if appropriate, offer an apology

  • if appropriate, request further evidence or arrange a follow-up conversation with the inspector

  • if appropriate, confirm that an inspector/inspection team will carry out a further visit in order to gather and analyse the necessary evidence to secure or complete the evidence base, and that this visit will take place as soon as possible

84. The decision-maker will also inform the relevant national director for education or regulation and social care, national director for delivery, Deputy His Majesty’s Chief Inspector and HMCI of the decision.

85. In some circumstances, we may need to carry out a further inspection or visit to a provider without notice. For example, this could be in relation to a safeguarding or child protection matter that has been brought to our attention after the inspection and before we have sent the final version of the inspection report to the provider.

Delaying publication of the inspection report to consider comments and concerns

86. We have processes for checking the quality of inspection reports, finalising them and dealing with comments and concerns raised by providers. Providers receive a draft copy of their inspection report before it is published. This is an opportunity for them to highlight points relating to clarity or factual accuracy, or to submit a formal complaint about the inspection process or findings. We will respond to any formal complaint before we finalise and send the final inspection report to the provider, as set out in our complaints procedure.

87. On occasion, through our internal pre-publication quality-assurance processes or when considering a formal complaint, we may identify elements of the evidence base that are not sufficiently secure.

88. In these cases, we will not publish the inspection report on our reports website until we are satisfied that the inspection outcomes are secure and that the narrative text of the report is supported by the evidence.

89. We will complete any further activity necessary, including, where appropriate, considering any formal complaint. After this, we will send the amended draft inspection report to the provider for comments. We will then finalise and publish the amended report in line with our normal processes.

90. These situations should happen rarely. However, when they do, it is important that we maintain full and sensitive communication with the provider throughout.

Gathering additional evidence – next steps

91. Further activity may focus on the insecure or incomplete elements of the evidence base. However, in some instances, the decision-maker may determine that the inspector or inspection team must revisit all elements of the evidence base to ensure that the inspection outcomes are reliable.

92. The decision-maker may determine that the evidence base can be secured or completed by requesting specified evidence from the provider, without the need for a further visit.

93. If we decide we need to carry out a further visit, the decision-maker will normally:

  • write to the provider as outlined above

  • determine whether it is practicable to use the same inspector or inspection team (we maintain the right to use a different inspector or inspection team)

  • determine whether to request further evidence and information for planning before the further visit

  • confirm with the provider as soon as practicable:

    • the date of the further visit

    • the identity of the inspector (and inspection team members, as applicable)

  • and request any further evidence or information required before the further visit

94. We maintain the right to carry out a further inspection or visit without notice, for example in circumstances in which concerns about the protection or safety of children have been brought to our attention.

95. At the end of the further visit:

  • the lead inspector will give verbal feedback to the provider/manager in the usual way for the type of inspection being carried out or, if necessary, arrange with the provider/manager to give feedback at a later date

  • the lead inspector will follow the usual steps set out in the relevant handbook or operating guide (if there have been any changes to this since the original visit, inspectors will use the handbook or operating guide as it was at the time of the original visit)

  • we will complete the quality-assurance process, as set out in the relevant handbook or operating guide

  • we will clarify what impact (if any) the further visit has on the timescale for reinspecting that provider

Listing inspectors and dates in reports following a visit to gather additional evidence

96. The inspection report following an inspection that involved a further visit to gather additional evidence will normally include the dates of both visits and the names of all the inspectors involved. In exceptional circumstances, it may not be appropriate to name all inspectors or include both dates on the inspection report. This is at the discretion of RD.

Annex: Decision-makers and lengths of pauses

Remit Decision-maker Who in Ofsted needs to be consulted Number of working days (see note 1) before a pause would engage part 3 of this guidance
State-funded schools RD Regional help desk, National help desk 5
Independent schools RD Regional help desk, National help desk 5
Early years and childcare provision RD Regional help desk, National help desk 5 (see note 2)
Initial teacher education RD Regional help desk, National help desk 15
ECTP and NPQ RD Regional help desk, National help desk 15
FE and skills RD Regional Senior His Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), National help desk 15
Area SEND RD in consultation with CQC Quality-assurance inspectors, national directors or their deputies and CQC 15
Childminder agencies Senior HMI RD 5
ILACS RD Quality-assurance manager, national directors or their deputies 5 or 15 depending on the nature of the inspection activity
JTAIs RD in consultation with the other inspectorates Quality-assurance manager, national directors or their deputies; the other inspectorates as relevant 15
Social care common inspection framework inspections RIM Senior HMI/RD 5 (see note 2)
Cafcass Deputy directors Quality-assurance manager, national directors or their other deputies 5 or 15 depending on whether it is a focused visit or a full inspection

Notes

1. A working day is usually any weekday other than a public holiday, which may not necessarily be the same as the days that an inspected provider might operate.
 2. Noting that if the inspection or regulatory event is based on risk to children, it may not be possible to pause.

View Annex: Decision-makers and lengths of pauses.

Updates to this page

Published 13 March 2020
Last updated 1 September 2026 Show all updates

  1. We've updated the policy to clarify deferral requests for state-funded schools with a RISE advisor and non-association independent schools during pre-registration inspections.

  2. We've updated this guidance to reflect the renewed education inspection framework and align processes and terminology with new or updated policies. We've added information about requesting deferrals between 10 November and the end of autumn term 2025. We've updated the reasons we may defer an inspection to include circumstances related to the well-being of senior leaders. This includes that the reason to defer cannot call into question whether a provider remains fit to practice. We've clarified that national reforms are not grounds for deferral for Area SEND inspections, ILACS and JTAIs. We’ve also added an additional section to clarify that material change inspections are not normally deferred when a school states it is not ready for inspection and that timing of the inspection is determined by the Department for Education. We've updated the guidance to say that in instances where there is no employer responsible for a leader's welfare at ITE providers, leaders can provide an alternative contact for emergencies. We've also clarified that insufficiencies in an evidence base can be identified in 2 ways: through our internal pre-publication quality assurance processes or our consideration of a formal complaint.

  3. We have updated the reasons we may defer an inspection to include where a state-funded school with a religious character has already been notified of an inspection under section 48 of the Education Act 2005 (or equivalent inspection in an academy). This is as long as there are no exceptional circumstances that would require the inspection to proceed. Further updates align this policy with amendments made to the school inspection handbook on 16 September 2024. These updates clarify that if we agree to defer the inspection of a state-funded or independent school, we can notify that school of the new inspection date on any day of the week, not just on a Monday. In addition, minor changes have been made throughout for readability.

  4. Updated to align with changes made to the school inspection handbook on 16 September 2024 which allow a state-funded school inspection to be suspended to allow a school to resolve safeguarding issues. In addition, as state-funded schools will not receive an overall effectiveness grade during graded inspections from September 2024, any references to these grades have been updated accordingly. Further changes require deferral requests for state-funded schools that are part of a multi-academy trust to be made jointly between the headteacher and the trust. A new section also explains how inspector names and inspection dates will be listed in reports when an inspection has been deemed incomplete.

  5. Updated to combine our deferring, pausing and gathering additional evidence policies into a single policy.

  6. Updated to clarify how Ofsted will consider requests for deferrals, including those related to reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).

  7. Removed information on COVID-19. Updated the 'Deferral of independent school inspections' section throughout, including a new paragraph on material change inspection deferral requests and revisions to our policy on inspecting schools with no pupils on roll. Clarified that JTAI or ILACS inspections cannot be deferred unless there are exceptional circumstances.

  8. Amended to clarify how Ofsted will consider requests for deferrals, including those related to COVID-19.

  9. The deferrals policy has been updated so that it aligns better with our phased return to inspection.

  10. This policy has been revised to reflect the most recent government COVID-19 guidance and changes to Ofsted’s inspection activities from 25 January 2021 during national restrictions.

  11. Updated what the policy applies to and information around Covid-19 and deferrals.

  12. First published.

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