Framework | OFSTED inspection handbook 2026-2027 renewed

 Is your safeguarding culture inspection ready?

Practical actions for school staff and leaders under Ofsted’s renewed 2026-27 framework

 

Ofsted’s renewed school inspection toolkit has been in use since 7 September 2026. Safeguarding is not simply a document check: inspectors consider whether leaders’ systems work in practice, whether staff respond confidently and consistently, and whether pupils are protected and know how to seek help.

What has changed in the renewed approach?

The updated toolkit makes clearer the expectation that safeguarding is a whole-school responsibility, with strategic oversight from leaders and governors. Inspectors look at the impact of arrangements, the response to pupils at risk of harm or who have been harmed, and whether leaders learn from incidents and take action. The toolkit also highlights issues including bullying and discriminatory or prejudiced behaviour going unnoticed or unchallenged.

1. Make safeguarding everyone’s responsibility

Inspectors may speak to staff across the school, not just the DSL and safeguarding team. Staff should be able to explain what they would do if a pupil disclosed a concern or they noticed a worrying change.

·        Refresh staff knowledge of the school’s reporting route, including what to do if the DSL or a senior leader is unavailable, or if the concern involves an adult working in school.

·        Check that staff know how to record concerns promptly, factually and securely, using the school’s agreed system.

·        Use short scenarios in briefings or training sessions to practice responding to disclosures, recording concerns and escalating concerns when action appears delayed.

·        Make sure induction and refresher training cover signs of abuse and neglect, family help, child-on-child abuse, online harms, whistleblowing and low-level concerns about staff.

2. Check whether pupils can report concerns - and trust the response

A positive safeguarding culture should be visible to pupils. Inspectors may explore whether children know who can help them and feel their concerns will be taken seriously.

·        Ask pupils, in age-appropriate ways, whether they know how to get help and which adults they would approach.

·        Check that reporting routes are accessible to pupils with SEND, communication needs or additional vulnerabilities; adapt explanations and methods where needed.

·        Review how the school responds to bullying, cyberbullying, prejudice-based abuse, sexual harassment, sexual violence, physical aggression and teenage relationship abuse.

·        Look for patterns in behaviour, attendance, safeguarding logs, complaints and pupil voice. Check that incidents are followed up, not merely recorded.

3. Strengthen case-file quality and follow-through

Inspectors may sample cases and explore how the school identified risk, made decisions, shared information and followed up concerns. Records should tell a clear, chronological story.

·        Quality-assure a sample of safeguarding records: Is the concern clear? Are actions, decisions, rationale, referrals and outcomes recorded?

·        Check that referrals and consultations with children’s social care, police, health services or other agencies are documented, including responses received and next steps.

·        Review open cases and multi-agency plans. Identify who is responsible for each action, deadlines, outstanding responses and how the child is being supported in school.

·        Where a concern remains unresolved or risk increases, make sure staff escalate it in line with local procedures and record the response.

·        Ensure records transferred when pupils move school are timely, secure and accompanied by relevant safeguarding information.

4. Be ready to explain the impact of safeguarding leadership

The DSL, senior leaders and those responsible for governance should understand the school’s safeguarding picture and be able to explain what has changed as a result of monitoring, incidents and feedback.

·        Review trends in concerns, referrals, attendance, bullying, child-on-child abuse, online incidents and repeat presentations - while protecting confidentiality.

·        Be clear about how the school identifies pupils at risk of harm, including pupils who may be less likely to disclose or whose needs can be overlooked.

·        Record how safeguarding audits, case reviews, staff feedback and pupil voice lead to improvements, with named leads and review dates.

·        Make sure governors or trustees receive meaningful oversight information, ask appropriate challenge questions and check that agreed actions are completed.

·        Be ready to discuss what the school has learned from a serious incident or near miss and how practice has changed.

5. Revisit safer recruitment and staff conduct

The single central record remains important, but safeguarding checks are part of a wider system for ensuring adults are suitable and professional boundaries are understood.

·        Check the single central record for completeness and accuracy against current statutory requirements, and ensure evidence can be accessed promptly.

·        Review safer recruitment practice, including recruitment-panel training, references, social media checks, induction and required checks for relevant volunteers.

·        Make sure staff understand the code of conduct, low-level concerns, allegations, whistleblowing and the route for contacting the local authority designated officer (LADO).

·        Check that concerns about adults are recorded, assessed and acted on promptly, following local authority procedures and current statutory guidance.

6. Don’t overlook pupils’ wider safety and vulnerability

Inspectors consider how well arrangements work for pupils who are particularly vulnerable, including those with SEND, children looked after, pupils with social workers and pupils educated partly or wholly off-site.

·        Check that staff know the safeguarding arrangements for alternative provision, trips, off-site activities and pupils who are educated elsewhere.

·        Review how the school supports pupils with medical conditions and allergies, and whether relevant plans and safety arrangements are understood by staff.

·        Check that the Prevent duty, online safety, filtering and monitoring arrangements are understood, reviewed and acted on when concerns arise.

·        Ensure the school’s safeguarding policies and procedures are accessible, current and consistent with practice.

What should leaders have ready before an inspection?

Keep statutory records and routine safeguarding information accurate, accessible and up to date. Ofsted states that schools do not need to create documents specifically for inspection; information should be available in its normal format.

·        Single central record and relevant safer-recruitment information, including records relating to volunteers undertaking regulated activity where required.

·        A clear overview of referrals to children’s social care and the LADO, open cases, multi-agency plans and the resolution or current status of concerns.

·        Safeguarding records that show actions, decisions, information-sharing, outcomes and follow-up.

·        Current safeguarding and child protection policies, staff code of conduct, whistleblowing procedures and records of staff training.

·        Evidence of governance oversight and how safeguarding learning or audit actions are monitored through to completion.

A quick staff readiness check

Could every member of staff confidently answer these questions?

·        Who do I report a safeguarding concern to, and what do I do if I am worried it has not been acted on?

·        How do I record a concern, including a disclosure or an online incident?

·        What should I do if a pupil tells me they are being bullied, harmed or made to feel unsafe?

·        How do I raise a concern about an adult’s behaviour?

·        How can pupils, including those with SEND or communication needs, tell us they need help?

Useful official resources

·        Ofsted: School inspection toolkit, operating guides and information (current documents for September 2026)

·        Ofsted: Summary of changes to inspection guidance

·        Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE)

·        Working Together to Safeguard Children

·        Ofsted: School inspection guidance and resources

Remember: inspection preparation should strengthen everyday safeguarding, not create a separate process or procedure. The strongest evidence is a consistent culture in which concerns are recognised, reported, recorded, shared appropriately and followed through.