An essential ally for school leaders at all levels. Comprehensively planned CPD, reliable resource packs and extensive guidance created with you in mind.
An essential ally for school leaders at all levels. Comprehensively planned CPD, reliable resource packs and extensive guidance created with you in mind.
While the lead inspector’s questions will be determined by their desktop review and lead on from the educationally focused discussion you have together, we’ve prepared some Example Ofsted Phone Call Questions that can help you prepare for the style of questions asked. You and other senior leaders can add notes based on your discussions so that you feel as prepared and comfortable as possible.
This list has been created from recent 2024 Ofsted experience.
Our full Ofsted Inspection Preparation pack includes this and so much more. Visit honeyguide-sls.co.uk for further information.
Disclaimer: This resource is intended solely for informational purposes and should not be interpreted as professional advice. The information provided herein is not tailored to your specific circumstances therefore we can not guarantee the completeness, accuracy or appropriateness of the information presented. Any reliance you place on the information provided is strictly at your own risk.
This fully editable word document Ofsted Inspection Notification List template, updated to reflect the 2024 inspection handbook updates, provides an outline of some of the contacts you may wish to notify and you may find it helpful to fill the information in beforehand so it’s ready to use when you do get the phone call.
An updated 2024 Ofsted Phone Call Preparation Pack can be found on our website Honeyguide SLS for £15.
Our full Ofsted Inspection Preparation pack includes this and so much more. Visit our website honeyguide-sls.co.uk for further information.
Disclaimer: This resource is intended solely for informational purposes and should not be interpreted as professional advice. The information provided herein is not tailored to your specific circumstances therefore we can not guarantee the completeness, accuracy or appropriateness of the information presented. Any reliance you place on the information provided is strictly at your own risk.
Expecting Ofsted or want to be prepared for when the Ofsted call comes through?
Our pre-inspection documentation checklist will help to ensure you have everything you need collated, from recent Ofsted experience.
Our full Ofsted Inspection Preparation pack includes this and so much more. Visit honeyguide-sls.co.uk for further information.
Disclaimer: This resource is intended solely for informational purposes and should not be interpreted as professional advice. The information provided herein is not tailored to your specific circumstances therefore we can not guarantee the completeness, accuracy or appropriateness of the information presented. Any reliance you place on the information provided is strictly at your own risk.
A school improvement plan (SIP) is sometimes referred to as a school development plan (SDP), School Improvement and Development Plan (SIDP) or a strategic plan. All of these refer to a whole-school plan that tackles improvement.
Our fully editable and easy to use word document outlines the actions, success criteria, milestones and progress towards each priority.
Our full Ofsted Inspection Preparation pack includes this and so much more. Visit honeyguide-sls.co.uk for further information.
Disclaimer: This resource is intended solely for informational purposes and should not be interpreted as professional advice. The information provided herein is not tailored to your specific circumstances therefore we can not guarantee the completeness, accuracy or appropriateness of the information presented. Any reliance you place on the information provided is strictly at your own risk.
Expecting Ofsted or want to be prepared for when the Ofsted call comes through?
If you decide that a folder (or similar) is an appropriate route for you, you’ll want to collate all relevant documentation and evidence you have that demonstrates your school is meeting the required standards and expectations. Our Ofsted Folder Checklist gives a comprehensive outline so that you can have everything you need within reach when the call comes through.
This fully editable word document template can help you and your team prepare.
Our full Ofsted Inspection Preparation pack includes this and so much more. Visit honeyguide-sls.co.uk for further information.
Disclaimer: This resource is intended solely for informational purposes and should not be interpreted as professional advice. The information provided herein is not tailored to your specific circumstances therefore we can not guarantee the completeness, accuracy or appropriateness of the information presented. Any reliance you place on the information provided is strictly at your own risk.
The purpose of a staff story is to facilitate the sharing of information about your staff team. It’s particularly valuable when discussing staff responsibilities, future roles and career advancement with key stakeholders such as governors, school improvement advisors or Ofsted inspectors. It’s also very useful to share with new members of staff as it can also help them to quickly understand their colleagues’ roles and expertise, making their integration into the team smoother.
This fully editable word document can be utilised to share information about your staff team.
Our full Ofsted Inspection Preparation pack includes this and so much more. Visit honeyguide-sls.co.uk for further information.
Disclaimer: This resource is intended solely for informational purposes and should not be interpreted as professional advice. The information provided herein is not tailored to your specific circumstances therefore we can not guarantee the completeness, accuracy or appropriateness of the information presented. Any reliance you place on the information provided is strictly at your own risk.
A subject improvement plan (also called a subject development plan) is used to identify the strengths and weaknesses of a particular subject and helps to establish priorities, set long-term goals and monitor overall progress towards them. The plan typically includes information such as the current provision, main areas for development and desired outcomes.
Our fully editable word document template provides a comprehensive outline for you to set your short term and long term priorities, linked to the whole school improvement plan (SIP).
Our full subject leader pack includes this and so much more. Visit honeyguide-sls.co.uk for further information.
Disclaimer: This resource is intended solely for informational purposes and should not be interpreted as professional advice. The information provided herein is not tailored to your specific circumstances therefore we can not guarantee the completeness, accuracy or appropriateness of the information presented. Any reliance you place on the information provided is strictly at your own risk.
A staff subject confidence audit / survey / questionnaire is a process that can help you to gain insight into what staff feel they know, don’t know, and need to learn in your subject area. This involves staff reflecting on their knowledge and skills by answering questions about different aspects of that subject. As a subject leader, you can use this information to identify gaps and develop a plan to fill those gaps.
We’ve included two fully editable word document templates for you to utilise with staff:
Staff Subject Confidence Audit - Tick Boxes – provides a simpler, time-saving approach where staff grade themselves from 1-5 (or similar) against a set of questions.
Staff Subject Confidence Audit - Detailed – provides space for staff to write longer answers on their strengths and weaknesses. This will take staff more time to complete but will also provide you with a richer bank of information.
Both contain a detailed question bank split into key areas to enable you to formulate your staff subject confidence audit effectively.
Our full subject leader pack includes this and so much more. Visit honeyguide-sls.co.uk for further information.
Disclaimer: This resource is intended solely for informational purposes and should not be interpreted as professional advice. The information provided herein is not tailored to your specific circumstances therefore we can not guarantee the completeness, accuracy or appropriateness of the information presented. Any reliance you place on the information provided is strictly at your own risk.
As a subject leader, a subject self-evaluation is a process that allows you to assess the effectiveness of your subject area across a period of time (usually an academic year). It typically includes analysing any pupil performance data available, gathering feedback from students and staff, evaluating the effectiveness of teaching and the resources available, and reviewing the curriculum. A key part of the self-evaluation is understanding it’s not just recalling what happened but highlighting the impact that subject leadership has had.
We’ve included two fully editable word document templates for you to self evaluate your subject area:
Self-Evaluation Form – Concise: a shorter form for making a broader evaluation. This is less time consuming and more useful when you already have a good understanding of your subject area in your setting. It can also be used when your subject area doesn’t require rapid improvement and just needs less invasive monitoring to keep it on track.
Self-Evaluation Form – In-Depth: a longer form that covers the Ofsted grade descriptors and allows you to make an in-depth judgement about the current status of your subject area in your school. This is useful if you want to get to know your subject well, if you know you need to make rapid changes or if you believe your school will be inspected and you want to use this to bolster your confidence and understanding.
Our full subject leader pack includes this and so much more. Visit honeyguide-sls.co.uk for further information.
Disclaimer: This resource is intended solely for informational purposes and should not be interpreted as professional advice. The information provided herein is not tailored to your specific circumstances therefore we can not guarantee the completeness, accuracy or appropriateness of the information presented. Any reliance you place on the information provided is strictly at your own risk.
This easy to use and fully editable word document outlines the actions and intended milestones for improvement in your subject area, as well as considerations such as potential cost implications, staff members, issues and how you plan to monitor and evaluate the progress of each action.
A subject action plan is a tool that helps subject leaders to prioritise actions to improve teaching and learning. All subject leaders should be aware of the improvement priorities before they start considering their action plan because without knowing what the priorities or targets are, how can effective actions be planned for?
Our full subject leader pack includes this and so much more. Visit honeyguide-sls.co.uk for further information.
Disclaimer: This resource is intended solely for informational purposes and should not be interpreted as professional advice. The information provided herein is not tailored to your specific circumstances therefore we can not guarantee the completeness, accuracy or appropriateness of the information presented. Any reliance you place on the information provided is strictly at your own risk.
A subject leader skills and confidence audit is a self-reflective tool used to assess your own confidence and ability to lead, manage and teach a particular subject. The audit involves a series of questions and statements related to different aspects of subject leadership, such as curriculum planning, assessment, teaching and professional development. This audit will help you to evaluate the quality of education through curriculum intent, implementation and impact, as well as Ofsted’s key judgement areas of personal development and leadership and management.
On the audit form, you’re asked to rate your level of confidence in each area. This allows you to identify areas where you may need additional support or professional development in order to improve your leadership and teaching skills. In addition to this resource, we also have a Staff Subject Confidence Audit which performs the same function but is instead given to staff and only focuses on teaching, rather than leadership of a subject area.
Our full subject leader pack includes this and so much more. Visit honeyguide-sls.co.uk for further information.
Disclaimer: This resource is intended solely for informational purposes and should not be interpreted as professional advice. The information provided herein is not tailored to your specific circumstances therefore we can not guarantee the completeness, accuracy or appropriateness of the information presented. Any reliance you place on the information provided is strictly at your own risk.
This easy-to-use learning walk / lesson observation template provides an effective outline for the process from start to finish. From planning the learning walk, to your observation notes and analysing what you’ve seen afterwards, this template will help to identify positives and areas for development and future training needs.
Our full Subject Leader Pack includes this and so much more.
Available on our website honeyguide-sls.co.uk
Disclaimer: This resource is intended solely for informational purposes and should not be interpreted as professional advice. The information provided herein is not tailored to your specific circumstances therefore we can not guarantee the completeness, accuracy or appropriateness of the information presented. Any reliance you place on the information provided is strictly at your own risk.
These Ofsted Grade Descriptor grids are adapted from the Ofsted School Inspection Handbook. It’s important to note that this isn’t a definitive list of Ofsted grade descriptors and you can’t use them to say for certainty that your school or subject is a particular Ofsted grade. However, by using the grid and highlighting statements that match current practice in the subject you lead, you’ll be able to identify areas of strength and those that need development. This evidence can be gathered through learning walks, looking at pupils’s work in books and other media, pupil interviews, and planning scrutinies.
Our full subject leader pack includes this and so much more. Visit honeyguide-sls.co.uk for further information.
Disclaimer: This resource is intended solely for informational purposes and should not be interpreted as professional advice. The information provided herein is not tailored to your specific circumstances therefore we can not guarantee the completeness, accuracy or appropriateness of the information presented. Any reliance you place on the information provided is strictly at your own risk.