Today I’m really pleased to announce that we’re bringing a further level of independent and external oversight to Ofsted’s complaints process. Called the “Independent Complaints Review (ICR) service”, we’re initially piloting it for state-funded schools inspected during this academic year, 2026-27. This new pilot is the latest in a list of significant changes we’ve made to the complaints process since I took up post. We also established a new helpline for providers to call when they have concerns and created the ability to change inspection grades during interim monitoring inspections where a school has made the necessary improvements. There’s now a national hub that ensures complaints are handled outside the region where they arose and new complaints panels including union and sector representatives which meet regularly to scrutinise some of our recently closed complaints. But I’m aware these changes have not been seen by some in the sector to address fully the notion that we’re “marking our own homework” when it comes to handling complaints. In her independent learning review, Christine Gilbert looked at our complaints process and recommended we introduce “an element of independent external oversight with the power to re-open inspection judgments”. Meanwhile, the education select committee and Sinead Mc Brearty have made similar calls in their own reviews. So, championed by Dame Christine, we’ve been working hard on a solution that can respond to all of these calls in a meaningful and practical way. I’m happy with where we’ve landed And, after engagement with the unions and other sector representatives, I am very happy with where we’ve landed. The ICR service we’re piloting from this month will allow schools to seek a review of how Ofsted handled their complaint and – for the first time – whether the outcome was fair and reasonable, including where it was about the inspection process and findings. It’s worth emphasising that we already have very robust quality assurance and complaints processes that mean, most of the time, we’re able to resolve any concerns schools have either during the inspection itself or shortly afterwards. And when schools do make an official complaint, we pause publication of their report card while it’s investigated by an inspector from another region – to ensure independence from the inspection. Their findings are then reviewed and signed off by senior his majesty’s inspectors (HMI). But there are occasions when schools are not satisfied with the outcome of their complaint and wish to continue to challenge an inspection after their report card has been published. Currently, they can seek a review through the Independent Complaints Adjudication Service for Ofsted (ICASO), which will consider whether Ofsted handled their complaint appropriately. But ICASO is limited in what it can consider. ICR service will go further The new ICR service we’re piloting will expand on the ICASO stage of the complaints process by reviewing not just how a complaint was handled, but whether its outcome was fair and reasonable, including when it was about the inspection process or grades awarded. Unlike ICASO, the ICR service will have access to the full evidence base from the inspection in question, as well as the internal complaint record completed by the investigator. They’ll consider all the available evidence before reporting their findings back to me and the complainant. If they find that mistakes were made, or that Ofsted did not respond to the original complaint fairly and reasonably, the ICR will be able to recommend that I look again at a decision – potentially including grading decisions. Where it is about grading, I can set aside a published report card and arrange a new inspection. You might ask why the ICR service can’t just do this themselves – and the answer is legislation. Under the law, only the chief inspector (through Ofsted’s inspectors) can take grading decisions. That said, a recommendation from the ICR to look again at grading would carry a great deal of weight. A significant change You might also ask why we’re not introducing this stage earlier in the complaints process, before a school’s report card is published. My answer is that we report first and foremost to parents, and it’s essential they have up-to-date information about their child’s school. This is particularly important if we have found the quality of education does not meet the expected standard, or that safeguarding is an issue. Delaying a report could have serious consequences for children. But these new arrangements are a significant change and there are costs associated. That’s why we are testing them through a time-limited pilot involving state schools only. We’ll be closely monitoring how it goes and listening to feedback from those involved, as well as to perceptions from the sector more broadly. That will include discussions with the trade unions and CST. If we decide to implement the service permanently after the pilot, we’ll also confirm whether we’re extending it across the other areas we inspect, including early years and further education and skills providers. The fact we are taking this step to increase independent oversight has been broadly welcomed in the discussions we’ve had so far with education unions, but I want the whole sector to have trust in our processes. I really hope this pilot helps build that trust further, so I’ll be listening closely to what you say about it.