We maintain the strictest levels of confidentially throughout all our consultancy projects with schools & colleges especially concerning those judged as Ofsted inadequate or in Special Measures.

Testimonials or references from schools we have successfully supported through this process with Ofsted & the DfE are available on request

JMC Inspection Team

We provide post Ofsted support for schools, Academies and Colleges when the worst has happened and a setting has been judged as ‘requires improvement’ or ‘inadequate’ and placed in special measures. The pressure is on to turn things around quickly. Our comprehensive support and guidance, easy to follow procedures and outstanding training ensure that improvement is fast and sustainable.

Amongst our special measures support 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

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

What happens your School , Academy or College is judged a Ofsted Inadequate and put in in Special Measures?

When inspectors judges the overall effectiveness of a school or college to be Ofsted inadequate, the inspection report will set out the steps that you must take.

If Ofsted judge a school to be inadequate, it will be placed in one of the following 2 categories of concern:

  • Special measures – This means the school is both:
    • failing to provide its pupils with an acceptable standard of education
    • not showing the capacity to make the improvements needed
  • Serious weaknesses – This means that the school’s performance requires significant improvement but meets only one, or neither, of the conditions for special measures. A school with serious weaknesses will have one or more of the key judgements graded inadequate (grade 4) and/or have important weaknesses in the provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

Monitoring Inspections for Schools in Special Measures

Special Measures schools are given details on how they must improve, and are regularly monitored to check that they are on track.

All monitoring inspections are carried out in accordance with the principles and code of conduct for inspectors set out in The framework for school inspection (1). In conducting the monitoring inspection inspectors will follow the methodology and protocols set out in the School inspection handbook(2) .


[1] The framework for school inspection, Ofsted, 2014; www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/120100.

[2] School inspection handbook, Ofsted, 2014; www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/120101.

JMC are experts in providing support to ‘requires improvement’, ‘inadequate’ schools and those in ‘special measures’ through our supporting school improvement reviews and Executive coaching & mentoring work with SLT.

Providing Evidence for Ofsted Monitoring inspections

You will need to be able to provide evidence that you are meeting requirements the next time that Ofsted visit. Schools that are subject to special measures are not required to prepare a separate action plan but are expected to amend their existing plans to address the areas for improvement identified by the previous inspection.

Post Ofsted inspection support

This support visit can be tailored to meet your specific requirements. We can offer:

  • Rapid improvement action plan development and implementation for: 

– Quality of Education, review & development of whole school & subject specific curriculum design and implementation

Behaviour & Attitudes, review & development of attendance and behaviour systems & structures

– Personal Development, review & development of pastoral structures, PSHE curriculum delivery and careers guidance

– Leadership & management, review & development of leadership capability & capacity

  • Advice on practice or statutory requirements
  • Review of any weaknesses to advise how they can be strengthened following your inspection
  • Support for the Headteacher/ Principal and staff team after the inspection visit
  • Support for staff team on answering concerns from parents
  • Breakdown of the report and what it actually means
  • Guidance on the Ofsted appeals process
  • Support informing and communicating with parents, writing letters to explain the outcomes if needed
  • Guidance on how to meet the actions and recommendations post Ofsted
  • Next steps – impact from a ‘requires improvement’ or ‘inadequate’ judgement
  • Marketing support following a downgrade
  • Guidance on supporting staff well-being

Some schools or Colleges may decide to arrange for one of our inspection teams to carry out a full school improvement review or mock Ofsted. find out more about these here

JMC Inspection team

Please talk to one of our team to help you build your bespoke package

enquiries@jmcinset.com

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