Ofsted inspectors to get four days of online training ahead of new framework

Ofsted inspectors have been told they must take part in at least four days of online training ahead of the rollout of new report card inspections in November.

In an email sent to inspectors, seen by Schools Week, the watchdog gave details of a new “underpinning skills programme” (USP), which is in addition to already-announced in-person and live online training.

The training will be accessed flexibly, rather than being delivered live, and will consist of modules split between summer and autumn.

It comes amid concerns inspectors and schools won’t have enough time to prepare for the new inspections, which are due to start in November, just weeks after Ofsted releases its final framework in September.

The email states that all schools inspectors must carry out at least 27.5 hours of USP training between today (July 28), and October 29.

It is equivalent to around four full days of work. Those inspecting special schools or secondaries will have to complete more.

Inspectors will also be expected to spend nine hours reading to familiarise themselves with inspection “toolkits” once they are published in their final form in early September.

Online training launches this week

The USP will be split between summer and autumn. Summer modules will go live online today, said the Ofsted email, while autumn modules will launch shortly after Ofsted publishes its new framework in early September.

The modules are split into three categories: those that are “essential ahead of training”, which must be completed by September 29, “essential ahead of inspection” which are to be completed by October 29 and those that are “highly recommended”.

The summer module will include 14 hours of training. One 30-minute module is “essential ahead of training” and five hours are “essential ahead of inspection”.

Those who inspect special schools must carry out two hours more of essential training and secondary school inspectors must complete an extra hour.

The autumn module will contain a further 29 hours of training. Seven hours of this will be “essential ahead of training”, and 15 hours “essential ahead of inspection”.

The email tells inspectors: “You will also need to complete approximately nine hours of reading around the toolkits, which will be made available following the publication of the consultation response.”

More training expected

The USP is in addition to other training already announced.

Ofsted has already said team inspectors will receive one day of face-to-face training in October, as well as one day of live online training. Inspectors will also have a half day of preparation time ahead of the in-person training.

Meanwhile, “lead” inspectors – who Ofsted says will be HMI or OI with “recent” HMI experience – will get two days of face-to-face training and one day online.

Ofsted has around 2,000 inspectors (OI), who are often serving staff members in schools and work for the watchdog on a freelance basis.

Schools Week asked Ofsted if these inspectors will receive compensation for their time spent training, but the watchdog said it would not comment on the leak.