# What changed in Ofsted school inspections from September 2026?

Source page: https://pupilprotect.co.uk/guides/ofsted-changes-september-2026  
Last updated: 2026-10-20  
Publisher: Pupil Protect (Glacier Labs Ltd)

> Ofsted's renewed framework and report cards stay the same from September 2026: the evaluation areas, the five-point scale and safeguarding judged 'met' or 'not met' are unchanged. What changed is wording that Ofsted says adds clarity, in a new toolkit for use from 7 September 2026 and updated operating guides. For safeguarding, inspectors now check allergy safety policies, Childcare Act disqualification records and DBS records for volunteers in regulated activity, and the toolkit names mobile phone policies, inclusion strategies and comparison with similar schools.

## The short answer

Ofsted's renewed school inspections, with report cards, started on 10 November 2025. On **12 June 2026** Ofsted published the first annual update to the materials, and it made two more changes on **28 August 2026**. The new state-funded school inspection toolkit (version 2.0) is for use on inspections from **7 September 2026**.

The framework itself has not changed. Report cards still grade each evaluation area on the five-point scale, and safeguarding is still "met" or "not met". Ofsted's summary of changes describes almost every change as "additional or updated wording to provide clarity". Its news story says the updates reflect DfE guidance changes "that have already been made, or that we know will be made in the next academic year".

Our [report cards and safeguarding guide](https://pupilprotect.co.uk/guides/ofsted-report-cards-safeguarding) explains how the met or not met judgement works.

## Safeguarding

| Change | Where |
|---|---|
| Leaders must have made arrangements for pupils with medical conditions and have "a dedicated allergy safety policy" | Toolkit, safeguarding, page 7 |
| Any required records on disqualification under the Childcare Act 2006 must be accurate and up to date, and schools must provide them with the single central record | Toolkit page 7; operating guide; inspection information |
| Schools must make DBS and other check records for volunteers in regulated activity available | Inspection information, added August 2026 |
| Inspectors report serious fire safety concerns to the fire and rescue service | Operating guide |
| Where adults live on the premises, inspectors check the school's risk assessment | Operating guide |
| Inspectors check compliance with the duty to refer to the DBS under section 35 of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 | Operating guide |
| Schools may share a safeguarding audit, but don't have to | Inspection information |

The toolkit also has updated wording on leaders' and governors' "whole school approach to safeguarding" and on pupils at risk of harm or who have been harmed. The operating guide clarifies case sampling, the information inspectors need about pupils who are off site, and meetings with the DSL, SENCO and other leaders with an inclusion role "throughout the inspection", including a discussion about alternative provision.

These changes follow the law and guidance that changed for schools in 2026: the allergy safety policy duty from 1 September 2026, and the end of the supervision exemption for volunteers in Keeping children safe in education 2026. See [Benedict's Law and allergy safety](https://pupilprotect.co.uk/glossary/benedicts-law) and [safer recruitment checks 2026](https://pupilprotect.co.uk/guides/safer-recruitment-checks-2026).

## Inclusion and achievement

- **Inclusion strategy.** The toolkit expects leaders and governors to have published on their website an inclusion strategy setting out how their funding, including the inclusive mainstream fund, will be used (page 13). See [SEND reform 2026](https://pupilprotect.co.uk/guides/send-reform-2026).
- **Roles.** There is updated wording on the SENCO, the designated teacher for looked-after children, personal education plans and virtual school heads. The operating guide says inspectors may speak to virtual school heads.
- **Similar schools.** Inspectors consider how pupils' attainment and progress in national tests "compare with national averages and similar schools" (page 31). The toolkit doesn't describe how similar schools are chosen.
- **Pupils with EHC plans** having support to attend and behave, and pupils who joined with low attendance or after disrupted education, are now named.

## Attendance and behaviour

- **Mobile phones.** Leaders' policies should communicate high expectations "including expectations related to mobile phones", leaders should review policies "including for bullying and mobile phone use" (page 37), and work with pupils and parents on behaviour "including in relation to the use of mobile phones" (page 38). See [mobile phones in schools guidance](https://pupilprotect.co.uk/guides/mobile-phones-in-schools-guidance).
- **Off-rolling.** The operating guide sets out Ofsted's definition of off-rolling. If inspectors find it, leadership and governance will likely be graded "urgent improvement".
- **Attendance recording.** Inspectors challenge leaders about unusual patterns in how attendance is recorded.

## Personal development and early years

- **Enrichment.** Enrichment should be "purposeful and varied, having regard to the enrichment framework (where applicable)" (page 44). The DfE published the non-statutory enrichment framework on 15 June 2026.
- **Safe sleeping and food.** In schools with early years provision, inspectors pay particular regard to statutory guidance on safe sleeping, and to food being prepared in line with any care or allergy plans (page 46). Not implementing this is now an "urgent improvement" indicator for early years (page 60).
- **EYFS profile.** There is updated wording on EYFS profile data and on how the proportion of children reaching a good level of development compares with the national average.

## Grades, categories of concern and the process

- **Categories of concern.** The operating guide, updated again in August 2026, explains the "twin test". A school gives an acceptable standard of education if every area except leadership and governance is at least "needs attention" or "met". Failing to show capacity to improve means one or more of the leadership "urgent improvement" indicators applies. The DfE is told when a school is provisionally placed in a category of concern.
- **Feedback.** Information from the final feedback meeting should not be shared by anyone until the report card is published. The local authority is invited where safeguarding is indicatively or provisionally "not met".
- **Notice.** A previously deferred inspection can now be notified on any day of the working week.
- **Self-evaluation.** Ofsted says it doesn't expect schools to have completed a formal self-evaluation using the toolkit.
- **Monitoring.** The monitoring operating guide sets out the types of monitoring inspection, including focused monitoring inspections where there are serious concerns.

## What to do now

1. Check your allergy safety policy is published and reviewed, and that the DSL knows where it is.
2. Make sure DBS records for volunteers in regulated activity are ready for 8am on day 1, with the single central record.
3. Check your mobile phone policy is in your behaviour policy and has been reviewed.
4. Publish your inclusion strategy if you receive the inclusive mainstream fund.
5. Brief governors on the changes, using the summary of changes rather than second-hand lists.

## Questions

**What are the Ofsted changes for September 2026?**  
Ofsted published new versions of its school inspection toolkit, operating guide, monitoring operating guide and inspection information on 12 June 2026, with further updates on 28 August 2026. The framework and report card are unchanged. The changes add or update wording, for example on allergy safety policies, mobile phone policies, inclusion strategies, comparison with similar schools, safe sleeping in early years, and DBS records for volunteers.

**Has the Ofsted toolkit changed in September 2026?**  
Yes. Version 2.0 of the state-funded school inspection toolkit is for use on inspections from 7 September 2026. Ofsted's summary of changes describes the changes as 'additional or updated wording to provide clarity' rather than a new framework.

**Is there an Ofsted summary of changes for 2026?**  
Yes. Ofsted publishes a 'Summary of changes' page alongside the toolkit and operating guides. It lists the June 2026 changes to each document and the August 2026 changes on categories of concern and DBS records for volunteers.

**Does Ofsted check mobile phone policies?**  
Yes. The September 2026 toolkit says inspectors consider whether leaders communicate expectations related to mobile phones, review their mobile phone policy, and work with pupils and parents on behaviour expectations including phone use. This sits in the attendance and behaviour evaluation area.

**How often will Ofsted update the toolkit?**  
Every year. Ofsted said on 12 June 2026 that all future updates to its toolkits, operating guides and inspection information will be made annually, before they come into effect the following September.

## Sources

- [School inspection: toolkit, operating guides and information, Summary of changes (Ofsted, published 12 June 2026, updated 28 August 2026)](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-inspection-toolkit-operating-guide-and-information/summary-of-changes), checked 2026-10-20
- [State-funded school inspection toolkit (Ofsted, v2.0, updated June 2026, for use from 7 September 2026): pages 7, 13, 31, 37, 38, 44, 46 and 60](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6a915d1c01bbff0bf8f97b51/Schools_inspection_toolkit.pdf), checked 2026-10-20
- [School inspection operating guide for inspectors (Ofsted, for use from September 2026, updated 28 August 2026)](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-inspection-toolkit-operating-guide-and-information/school-inspection-operating-guide-for-inspectors-for-use-from-september-2026), checked 2026-10-20
- [Inspection information for state-funded schools (Ofsted, for use from September 2026, updated 28 August 2026)](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-inspection-toolkit-operating-guide-and-information/inspection-information-for-state-funded-schools-for-use-from-september-2026), checked 2026-10-20
- [Inspection materials updated ahead of September 2026 (Ofsted news story, 12 June 2026)](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/inspection-materials-updated-ahead-of-september-2026), checked 2026-10-20
- [The enrichment framework for schools and colleges (DfE, non-statutory guidance, 15 June 2026)](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-enrichment-framework-for-schools-and-colleges), checked 2026-10-20

## Related

- [Ofsted report cards: how safeguarding is judged](https://pupilprotect.co.uk/guides/ofsted-report-cards-safeguarding): Met or not met, what inspectors do, and the records to have ready.
- [Safeguarding governor visit template](https://pupilprotect.co.uk/tools/safeguarding-governor-visit-template)
- [The single central record](https://pupilprotect.co.uk/glossary/scr)
- [Section 175 safeguarding audit](https://pupilprotect.co.uk/glossary/section-175-audit)
- [Leadership jobs](https://pupilprotect.co.uk/jobs/role/leadership)

## In Pupil Protect

Pupil Protect Safeguard keeps every concern, action, meeting and referral on one chronology for each child, so when an inspector samples a case, the DSL can show what happened and why, in order. [See how Safeguard works](https://pupilprotect.co.uk/safeguard)