The Ofsted Call: What to Do in the First 90 Minutes

The Ofsted call almost always comes between 9:30 and 12:30 the day before inspection. Under the current Education Inspection Framework (EIF), you have roughly a working afternoon to get your paperwork, your team and your headspace in order.

The mistake most managers make is to try to do everything. You can't. Here is the 90-minute sequence that actually works.

Minutes 0–15: capture, don't scramble

• Write down the inspector's name, arrival time and the notice-period details
• Ask which sample of children they'd like SEND, safeguarding and progress info for
• Do not start ringing staff yet — you'll forget half of what was said

Minutes 15–45: the safeguarding pull

Safeguarding is the single limiting judgement. Get these in one folder, in this order:

1. Single Central Record — check every column is complete for every adult on site
2. DSL and deputy DSL certificates, dated within two years
3. Prevent, Safer Recruitment and KCSIE 2025 training logs
4. Two recent safeguarding concerns with a clear timeline and outcome
5. Whistleblowing policy with the LADO number visible

If any column on the SCR is blank, fix it before anything else on this list.

Minutes 45–70: the learning story

Pick three key children the inspector is likely to track — one SEND, one EAL or disadvantaged, one typically developing — and make sure each has:

• A baseline on entry
• Two-year progress check (if aged 2–3)
• Current next steps written in plain English, not jargon
• One recent observation the key person can talk about from memory

You are not fabricating evidence. You are making sure the story is easy to find.

Minutes 70–90: the team huddle

Bring the team together for 10 minutes, no longer. Cover:

• The inspector's name and arrival window
• The three key children they'll follow
• The one message you want every staff member to be able to say ("We know our children, we plan for their next steps, and safeguarding is everyone's job")
• Who covers the door, who covers lunch, who covers the manager if you're pulled into an interview

You already do the work. Tomorrow is just about showing it clearly.

Tonight — protect the evening

Go home at your normal time. An exhausted manager is a worse manager tomorrow. The paperwork you didn't do in 90 minutes is paperwork the inspector wasn't going to ask for anyway.