Mock Ofsted Inspections for Schools, MATs & Academies - Award Winning Professional Development & School Improvement in UK

During the mock Ofsted, JMC quickly assessed what our primary needs were and responded immediately. We feel much better equipped for the task ahead.
Judy Packham, Director, Springboard Education

Realistic, rigorous, and aligned with the latest Ofsted framework

At JMC, our mock inspections are carefully designed to reflect current Ofsted practice and expectations, giving school leaders a clear, evidence-informed view of their provision across each inspected area.

What has changed in Ofsted inspections?

Ofsted has moved away from a single headline judgement towards a more nuanced, multi-area evaluation. Inspections now:

Focus on distinct areas of provision, rather than one overall grade
Place heightened emphasis on safeguarding, culture, and inclusion
Provide balanced, narrative reporting rather than reductive labels alone
Consider the context of the school and its pupils more explicitly

Our mock inspections fully reflect this shift.

Benefits of a Mock Ofsted Inspection by JMC

We have teams of specialists supporting the following types of school, inspected under the Ofsted framework:

State Schools, Colleges & Other Educational Providers:

We really found the work you did last year very useful and it’s something we would like to implement on a yearly basis.
Michael Johnson, Vice Principal for Curriculum and Quality, Derwentside FE College

Independent schools:

Non-Association Independent Schools

“ I can’t stress enough how useful the whole process has been for us as a school”
Hannah Pomroy, Deputy Head, Ampleforth College
( Non-Association Independent School)

We support the following:

Please see our additional page for Non-Assocation Independent Schools, Special Schools and Alternative provision.

How our Mock Ofsted Inspections work

We provide a credible, professional simulation of inspection activity, led by highly experienced former inspectors and senior leaders.

Your mock inspection will typically include:

1. Pre-inspection preparation

Review of key documentation (SEF, SDP, policies, safeguarding records)
Analysis of internal data and external context
Discussion with senior leaders to establish priorities

2. On-site inspection activity

Joint lesson visits and curriculum-focused discussions
Meetings with leaders responsible for:
- Curriculum and quality of education
- Behaviour, attendance, and culture
- Personal development
- Safeguarding and leadership
Pupil voice and (where appropriate) staff discussions
Scrutiny of work and curriculum thinking

3. Safeguarding deep check

Safeguarding remains paramount in the current framework. We provide:

A forensic review of safeguarding culture and systems
SCR and compliance checks
Evaluation of how effectively safeguarding is lived, not just recorded

What you will receive

Mock Inspection Report

Following the review, you will receive both verbal feedback and a professional, Ofsted-aligned evaluation of your provision, including:

A focused narrative for each key area:
- Quality of education
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Personal development
- Leadership and management
- Early years (where applicable)
Clear identification of strengths, emerging priorities, and areas for development
Insight into how your practice aligns with current inspection expectations and thinking

Actionable recommendations

Our reports go beyond description to provide:

Practical, prioritised next steps
Strategic guidance to support school improvement planning
Advice to strengthen leadership articulation and readiness for inspection conversations

Our approach

Our work is grounded in:

First-hand inspection experience and current framework understanding
Careful evidence gathering through professional dialogue and observation
A focus on accuracy, clarity and improvement

We aim to give leaders a realistic, grounded understanding of their school, supporting confident and authentic self-evaluation.

Unrivalled Leadership Experience in State Schools & Multi-Academy Trusts

All our inspection teams are led by an experienced lead Inspector (LI). The collective depth and breadth of experience of our inspection team is unrivalled. Our LI’s are often former Headteachers, many have worked at Executive level in Multi-Academy Trusts.

Amongst our inspection team are:

Former Senior Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI)*
Former Ofsted National Subject leads
Current Ofsted Inspectors
Former Senior Local Authority School Improvement Advisors
Former Education Directors of Multi Academy Trusts
Former DfE National Leaders of Education (NLE)
Former Headteachers & Executive Headteachers

*NB Current HMIs are prohibited by Ofsted from carrying out any school improvement work

The LI will be your first point of contact once you have decided to take advantage of our ‘mock inspection’ service. Although they are referred to as ‘mocks’ they are designed with school improvement in mind, your lead inspector will act as an informed guide to help your school prepare effectively. Our inspection teams offer a mixture of training, coaching and mentoring throughout the process.

The inspection will encourage both reactive and proactive improvement in the quality of education provided by school

The inspection will help to standardise teaching, enable benchmarking and comparison in improving the quality of teaching and learning.

If your school is preparing for a monitoring inspection due to previous outcomes, our team can help you focus on the specific areas flagged for improvement. We offer targeted support aligned with Ofsted’s new monitoring protocols. Find out more here
JMC Post Ofsted Support Team

Pre Inspection Training & Mentoring Services

Our pre inspection training helps you when preparing for inspection. We will provide a comprehensive analysis and evaluation of the effectiveness of your service, focusing on quality of education, safeguarding arrangements, leadership and management in particular.

I would like to say a huge thank you for this ( inspection) training. It has been inspirational and thought-provoking
Steve Jeffery, Headteacher, Our Lady of Sion School

Mentoring for the Nominated Senior Staff Supporting Inspection

We also offer mentoring for nominated senior staff who will support inspection planning and communication, helping them confidently fulfil this new role introduced in the 2025 framework.

Mock 90 Minute Ofsted Educationally Focussed Conversation

If required, we can arrange a ‘mock phone call’ between our Lead Inspector and the Head of the school. Many schools opt for the ‘mock’ phone call as part of a full mock inspection, but it is also a valuable exercise on its own where it usually lasts around 2-3 hours as it is part mock part mentoring from our lead inspector.

The 90-minute phone call is more than an administrative discussion; it will set the tone and inspection trails for the whole inspection. This big picture discussion is pivotal to the direction and outcome of the whole inspection, so it is crucial for headteachers and senior leadership teams to plan and prepare for it in advance. Our mock pre- inspection call is a valuable exercise helping the Head or Principal & SLT prepare for the call as well as using it as a coaching opportunity to learn from our Lead Inspector.

How much will it cost?

We pay particular attention to team composition ensuring that our staff are suitable given the size and character of the school.

The cost depends on 4 factors:
1. Size of the Inspection Team
2. Number of days
3. Scope of the inspection
4. Nature of the school: E.g. Size, age range, number of sites, provision of Boarding

For a quote or to learn more about our mock Ofsted inspections, then don’t hesitate to get in touch using our enquires form

Book a free consultation

📧 Email us at enquiries@jmcinset.com

[su_expand more_text=”Ask us about this.” height=”2″ link_color=”#0F5889″ more_icon=”icon: comment”]

[/su_expand]

Discover more from Award Winning Professional Development & School Improvement in UK

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.