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Ofsted Tracker, Highlights & Insights

Welcome to SAfE’s latest Ofsted tracker, highlights and insights

This month, along with Ofsted data, and inspection highlights we are asking: What Does “Inclusion at the Heart of Inspection” Really Mean in Practice?

Download Surrey’s February 2026 Inspection Tracker to find your school and access data by phase and cross-phase.

Ofsted Inspection Highlights

  • This academic year there have been 13 inspections across Surrey Local Authority, this is 59% less than the number of inspections as this time last year

  • 23% of inspections have been in maintained schools.

  • 92% of inspections have been in Primary schools.

*Data only references inspection in the 2025-26 academic year
*Data correct as of 2nd February 2026 for published grades

0
OFSTED Inspections
0%
Maintained Schools Inspections
0%
Primary Schools Inspections

Inclusion at the core of inspection

Inclusion sits at the heart of the new inspection framework. It is both a discrete judgement and a defining thread running through every evaluation area, shaping how overall effectiveness is understood. Inspectors consider whether leaders can clearly articulate, and consistently enact, a coherent whole-school vision for inclusion that informs decision-making, curriculum design, staff development and pupils’ day-to-day experiences. Strong inclusive practice is characterised by early and accurate identification of need, high expectations for all learners and a culture that actively identifies, challenges and reduces barriers.

This briefing outlines how inclusion is evaluated across the framework, supporting headteachers to reflect on current practice, recognise strengths and identify priorities for development.

A whole-child approach

  • pupils’ academic and personal achievement;

  • their sense of belonging within the school community, reflected in attendance, behaviour and participation;

  • and their ability to thrive within systems that keep them safe and enable them to flourish, regardless of background or need.

Inspectors evaluate how well leaders understand their school’s context and how effectively they identify and address barriers to achievement and wellbeing. This begins during the planning call, where leaders who can articulate their context with clarity are better positioned to engage confidently and purposefully.

Focus groups and context

Particular scrutiny is given to the experiences of disadvantaged pupils, pupils with SEND, those currently or previously known to children’s social care, and other pupils facing barriers to learning or wellbeing. Ofsted recognises that this final group is context-specific and determined by each school. Barriers may include caring responsibilities, medical needs or economic disadvantage beyond formal eligibility for funding.

Leaders are expected to know which pupils face such challenges and to demonstrate the effectiveness of their response. These pupils are central to inspection activity and inform all evaluative judgements.

This focus reflects persistent national patterns. Disadvantaged pupils continue to underperform across all key stages, including the Early Years. Pupils with a social worker and pupils with SEND also experience significantly weaker outcomes. These enduring gaps underline the importance of rigorous, evidence-informed evaluation of whether provision is improving outcomes for those facing the greatest barriers.

Inclusion across the evaluation areas

Inspectors consider how well the curriculum is designed and implemented to meet the needs of all pupils, particularly those in identified focus groups. They look for an ambitious, coherently sequenced curriculum rooted in secure foundational knowledge. Targeted support and interventions are expected to be embedded within high-quality teaching rather than operating as bolt-on provision. Inspectors evaluate whether barriers are anticipated and removed, enabling pupils to access the same breadth and depth of learning through explicit teaching, careful revisiting and consolidation.

Achievement is evaluated with close attention to pupils who face additional challenges. Inspectors consider whether these pupils learn the curriculum securely, build knowledge over time and achieve well from their starting points. Leaders are expected to monitor attainment and progress with precision, ensuring gaps are closing and pupils are supported to keep up. Assessment should be used effectively to identify misconceptions early and secure learning. Evidence of impact includes outcomes, work scrutiny, pupil voice and readiness for the next stage of education.

Inspectors evaluate whether pupils who face barriers feel safe, included and able to participate fully in school life. This includes leaders’ understanding of pupils’ vulnerabilities, the effectiveness of pastoral support and the quality of relationships with trusted adults. Inspectors consider access to enrichment, leadership opportunities and wider experiences, alongside the responsiveness of safeguarding and wellbeing systems.

In the Early Years, inspectors consider whether provision enables all children to feel safe, included and able to make strong progress from their starting points. They look closely at early identification of need, emotionally secure routines, inclusive environments and language-rich interactions. Attention is given to equitable access to high-quality play, targeted support and effective safeguarding arrangements.

Attendance and behaviour are evaluated through an inclusive lens. Inspectors examine patterns of absence and exclusion to determine whether issues are identified early and addressed through targeted, well-coordinated support. Strong practice is characterised by precise analysis, proactive engagement with families and external agencies, and consistent expectations within an inclusive behaviour culture.

Leadership and governance are judged by the extent to which leaders create the conditions for all pupils to succeed. Inspectors look for a clear strategic focus on removing barriers, underpinned by accurate self-evaluation and coherent systems across curriculum, SEND, attendance and pastoral provision. Governance is assessed through the quality of challenge and oversight, ensuring resources and professional development are aligned with pupils’ needs and leaders are held to account for impact.

How inspectors gather evidence

Inspectors gather evidence through focused learning walks with clear lines of enquiry, observing quality-first teaching, adaptations and the coherence of additional support. They expect to see pupils learning alongside peers, experiencing high expectations and support precisely matched to need.

Beyond lessons, inspectors speak with pupils during social times to understand relationships and daily experiences. Case sampling is central to the methodology. Inspectors follow a small number of pupils in depth, reviewing documentation, observing learning, scrutinising work and speaking with staff. This tests whether whole-school systems translate into timely, effective and joined-up support, and whether pupils’ lived experiences reflect leaders’ stated intent.

Conclusion

The current framework reflects a more nuanced, experience-led approach, looking beyond policies and headline data to understand how effectively schools remove barriers in daily practice. For headteachers, this offers an opportunity to demonstrate the precision of systems, the coherence of leadership and, most importantly, the lived reality of pupils who rely on them most. Confidence comes from ensuring that leaders at every level can articulate not only what the school intends, but how this intent is seen, felt and experienced by individual children. Strengthening this line of sight from strategy to classroom to pupil experience is central to demonstrating the integrity and impact of an inclusive culture.

Further Reading, Listening & Watching

Further Learning

  • EvaluateMySchool
  • SAfE advisors can support you with advice on school self-evaluation