Ofsted’s new education inspection framework, to be implemented from 1 September 2019, will aim to ensure that education focuses on the real substance of education: the curriculum.

Following the largest consultation in Ofsted’s history generating over 15,000 responses, Ofsted has published its finalised framework and guidance.

Responses to the consultation showed overwhelming support for the introduction of a ‘quality of education’ key judgement. The new framework will shift to focus on what is learned through the curriculum, how well it is taught and assessed, and the impact it has on students, with less emphasis on how schools and colleges generate, analyse and interpret data.

Inspectors will be interested in the conclusions drawn and actions taken from any internal assessment information, but they will not examine or verify that information first hand. Inspectors will still use published national performance data as a starting point for inspection.

Despite some concerns expressed during the consultation, Ofsted will continue to ask schools how they are working towards the government’s Ebacc ambition. Ofsted regards EBacc subjects as the academic foundation of a broad, rich curriculum in secondary schools and recognises the government policy to encourage schools to enter their pupils for Ebacc subjects at GCSE.