Revealed: How Ofsted will develop plans to inspect inclusion

Ofsted has provided further details on how it will draw up plans to assess whether schools are inclusive in new inspections.

The inspectorate has pledged to introduce a new “criterion” for inclusion in the inspection report cards set to be rolled out for schools from September next year.

The tricky issue of how inclusivity will be measured is due to be consulted on, but Ofsted last month awarded the National Children’s Bureau (NCB) charity a £90,000 seven-month contract to help it “conceptualise vulnerability and inclusion”.

This research will aim to answer how Ofsted can “better understand vulnerability and its complexity” so it can assess inclusive practice, terms of reference published today state.

Research in Practice, part of the NCB, will also look into how vulnerability is currently understood in the education and social care sectors, including the “strength and limitations of different understandings”.

What’s the approach?

NCB will carry out a “rapid evidence” review of existing literature around the definitions and understanding of inclusion in schools and other settings Ofsted inspects and regulates.

The charity will appoint an expert academic reference panel to provide quality assurance for the project, and engage with a representative range of stakeholders, such as pupils, professionals and senior leaders across sectors including education.

Key findings from both will be collated into a report to help Ofsted “better understand vulnerability”. The inspectorate said this will inform its future inspection work.

Ofsted aims to publish the findings of this research “anticipated in 2025”.

It has provided little detail so far on what metrics it will use to judge inclusion.

But it will “evaluate whether schools are providing high-quality support for disadvantaged and vulnerable children”. 

The watchdog has said it will consult on the new report card, including the “criterion” on inclusion, in January.