Ofsted Postpones Initial Teacher Education Inspections Until 2025/26

Ofsted has postponed the start to its next initial teacher education (ITE) inspection cycle until the 2025/26 academic year, following a request by the Secretary of State for Education.

Ofsted was due to make updates to the existing ITE framework for the 2024/2025 academic year.  

However, the Secretary of State has requested the postponement ahead of more substantive changes to the ITE inspection framework, including the introduction of report cards, due in September 2025. 

A consultation on changes to inspections will take place in January next year. The postponement will ensure that all ITE providers in the next cycle are inspected under the same Ofsted framework. 

Since the majority of ITE inspections take place in the spring and summer terms most inspection activity is expected to restart from January 2026. 

Ofsted will carry out other quality-assurance activity, such as thematic monitoring visits, across the full ITE remit, alongside enhanced engagement with the sector during the consultation period. This will ensure that a focus on high-quality provision is maintained. Further details will be communicated to ITE providers soon. 

Re-inspections of providers of less than good ITE programmes will continue, to conclude activity from the previous inspection cycle. 

Early career framework and national professional qualification (ECFNPQ) inspections will go ahead as normal.  

Ofsted inspections of other remits will also continue. 

Ofsted’s Chief Inspector, Sir Martyn Oliver, said: 

I’m very grateful to everyone working in initial teacher education for their response to our ‘Big Listen’. Postponing the inspection cycle means ITE providers will have their next inspection under the new framework.

Sector Reaction

Emma Hollis, NASBTT Chief Executive, said:

“We warmly welcome today’s announcement that Ofsted is delaying the start to the next cycle of ITE inspections until the 2025-26 academic year. On behalf of our members, we have been advocating for pause in Ofsted inspections until January 2026, to allow the new framework to be thoroughly tested within the sector as it develops. For most providers this means there will be no ITE inspections until then and so having shared their, and our, concerns with Ofsted we are delighted this feedback has been listened to and responded to accordingly. In the interim period, we will support ITT providers with responding to the alternative quality assurance measures that Ofsted has announced.”