UPDATE – This page is a few years old now, so please visit our website for the latest Ofsted school website compliance checklist.

 

You already know that Ofsted will be looking at your school website prior to an inspection. The School Inspection Handbook states that inspection planning should be informed by analysis of, amongst other things:

“Information available on the school’s website, which may include a prospectus and other information for parents.”

Source: School Inspection Handbook, September 2013

What you may not know unless you’ve read all 18 of the September 2013 inspection briefing notes is that there are specific areas where inspectors are asked to seek evidence from the school website. We’ve read them all in detail and have summarised the main points with respect to your school website:

Briefing Note: Inspecting primary school PE and school sport: new funding

“Inspectors may also review the details of a school’s PE and sport provision on their school website prior to an inspection.”

Briefing Note: Inspecting and reporting on safeguarding

“Inspectors should ensure that they are informed about information available to the public, reported in the press or accessible on the internet, including that available on the school’s website. This may contain information related to safeguarding. Inspectors should therefore do a check on the internet as part of their pre-inspection planning to see whether there are any safeguarding issues that may need to be followed up during inspection.”

Briefing Note: Inspecting e-safety

How does the school educate and support parents and whole school community with online safety? What to look for?

“raising awareness through school website or newsletters”

School Inspection Handbook:

“Schools should encourage parents to complete Parent View by placing a link on their website to the Parent View website: http://www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk/”

 

We know from feedback from the schools we work with who’ve been inspected how useful their website was for their inspectors. If you need help with your school website, please contact us.

A couple of weeks ago, Ofsted came visiting and used the website as a source of information gathering ahead of their visit.  They commented to us that it was very easy to use and navigate through – so thank you

Here’s a couple of other posts you might find useful:

Ofsted Inspections and School Websites

Statutory Requirements for School Websites