Ofsted gives guidance on its "monitoring" inspections

Ofsted has published an operational note for how its new monitoring inspections will look in January 2021, which are only for schools judged as requires improvement or inadequate.

Ofsted will select schools based on whether they were judged as requires improvement at (at least) their last two consecutive section 5 inspections; those that have converted to an academy or have re-brokered since their last section 5 inspection will not receive a monitoring visit.
    
Ofsted will also select schools judged as inadequate, including those subject to a live directive academy order; new schools whose predecessor was inadequate will not receive a monitoring visit.

Ofsted may also carry out some monitoring inspections of other schools judged as requires improvement, at regional directors’ discretion and based on Ofsted's risk assessment.

Section 8 NFD inspections will take place to follow up concerns about schools that are not necessarily in a category of concern but that have been brought to our attention through, for example, a qualifying complaint made to Ofsted about the school under section 11A of the Education Act 2005.

Monitoring inspections of schools judged as requires improvement and schools with serious weaknesses will normally last for one day.

Monitoring inspections of schools in special measures will usually last for last two days.

The lead inspector will discuss the start and end times of the day with the headteacher during the notification call. This is so that inspectors can avoid any staggered start or end to the school day. Schools will be given notice of all monitoring inspections.
 
Visits will take place in person. If for any reason this is not possible, leaders may ask for the deferral of an inspection by making a request to the lead inspector during the notification call. We will not normally consider deferral requests if we receive them after 4.30pm on the day the school is notified.

Monitoring inspections are about giving assurance to parents and being supportive of a school as it improves. They focus on the school’s work towards improving and do not cover the whole section 5 evaluation schedule. They also do not result in an inspection grade or a change to an existing inspection grade.

A monitoring inspection is therefore different to a routine section 5 inspection or a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school. Monitoring inspections are about HMI working with leaders and staff to identify where the school is in terms of its improvement, as well as identifying the factors that are leading to sustainable improvement and the barriers that are preventing it.