Listen to this story Members can listen to an AI-generated audio version of this article. 1.0x Audio narration uses an AI-generated voice. 0:00 0:00 Become a member to listen to this article Subscribe Changes to school inspections to better recognise preparation of children for work will be made through Ofsted’s “annual update process”, the watchdog has said. It suggests proposals outlined by Andy Burnham this week will not prompt a full re-write of the current inspection framework, which took effect last November. The government announced on Monday inspections would change to “recognise the quality of technical education and the support aimed at preparing young people for work”. The announcement prompted questions about the scale of changes to inspections and when they would take effect. Ofsted overhauled its inspection framework last year, introducing new “report card” inspections following the earlier abolition of headline grades. It also recently updated the framework ahead of the next academic year. Revealing plans for new technical pathways for 14 to 16-year-olds from September 2028, government said that Ofsted will also “change the way they measure and inspect schools”. But the government has not put a date on planned changes to Ofsted inspections. An Ofsted spokesperson said: “We look forward to working with government as they bring forward further detail and we will make any necessary changes to our inspection framework using our annual update process.” Following the rollout of the renewed education inspection framework (EIF), Ofsted plans to make any necessary changes ahead of each academic year. This year’s changes were announced in June, for September. Don’t ‘tack this on’ to framework The Ofsted spokesperson said the renewed framework “expects schools and colleges to deliver a high-quality, ambitious curriculum for all children”. They added that inspectors already “focus relentlessly on standards for children, whether they are pursuing academic qualifications, technical training, or a combination of courses”. Ofsted declined to comment further when asked whether any consultation would be carried out before changes are made to inspections. But Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of leaders’ union ASCL, suggested a total rewrite of the inspection framework would be preferable to tweaking the existing one. He said: “Whilst our members would support a total rethink of the current accountability system, simply tacking this onto the existing framework would be the worst of all worlds. “We need a proportionate Ofsted framework that supports leaders to make the right decisions for their pupils, holding them to account intelligently on the things they are properly resourced to deliver.”