What is Ofsted (Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills)?

Ofsted reports directly to Parliament and is independent of the Department for Education. Its inspectors look at the quality of education, behaviour and attendance, leadership and safeguarding, and they check records such as the single central record and attendance registers.

Since November 2025, Ofsted’s inspections of state-funded schools produce report cards rather than a single overall grade. Each report card gives grades on a five-point scale, from exceptional to urgent improvement, across evaluation areas that include inclusion, achievement, attendance and behaviour, and personal development and well-being, while safeguarding is judged separately as met or not met. Independent schools are inspected against the independent school standards, either by Ofsted or, for many association member schools, by the Independent Schools Inspectorate.

Ofsted also investigates settings suspected of operating as unregistered independent schools, which is relevant for some alternative provision providers.

England and Wales

Ofsted works in England only. In Wales, schools and pupil referral units are inspected by Estyn, and childcare and social care by Care Inspectorate Wales.

Why it matters for your setting

• If you are a registered school or PRU, you will be inspected directly.
• If you are an unregistered alternative provider, schools that place pupils with you may be asked by inspectors how they check your quality and safeguarding.
• Inspectors expect accurate, up-to-date attendance and staff records that you can produce quickly.

How PupilDB helps

PupilDB’s attendance reports and staff records with DBS, references and training certificates help you show inspectors and commissioners what they ask to see.