Contracted Ofsted inspectors for schools and further education and skills

If you have the necessary qualifications and experience, you might be able to contract with us as an Ofsted inspector. You would then take part in inspections across England of:

• schools, including maintained schools, initial teacher education providers and independent schools
• further education (FE) and skills providers

Ofsted can enter such contracts under schedule 12, paragraph 11 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006.

We also have a permanent employed inspector workforce of His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs). There is separate guidance if you want to become an HMI.

Who can be a contracted Ofsted inspector

You can be a contracted inspector if you are:

• a a serving practitioner
• a a non-serving practitioner

You must not have been previously barred from being a proprietor or headteacher of a school under under section 128 of the Education and Skills Act 2008.

We must also be satisfied that you are not connected with any inspection judgements or circumstances that may undermine your track record as an effective leader or credibility as an inspector.

Serving practitioners

You will be working in a provider that is inspected or regulated by Ofsted.

If Thatyou work in a provider inspected under the previous inspection framework (before 10 November 2025)

The provider you work for should have beenreceived:

• a rated good or betteroutstanding atjudgement itsfor mostoverall recenteffectiveness inspection.at Forits schools,last inspection, if this willwas bebefore goodSeptember 2024, or
• for outstandingstate-funded inschools inspected after September 2024 (when the mostoverall recenteffectiveness inspectiongrade beforewas Septemberremoved), 2024.
  a good or outstanding sub-judgement at its last inspection

We will also consider talented leaders currently working in providers that arewere judged less than good. You will need to show clear evidence that you have:

• previous experience of leading a provider that is good or better
• achieved sustained, measurable improvement at your current provider

If you work in a provider inspected under the renewed inspection framework (from 10 November 2025)

The provider you work for should have been graded ‘met’ for safeguarding. A maximum of 2 evaluation areas can be graded ‘needs attention’, but these must not include leadership and governance or inclusion. Otherwise, we would require the standards to be ‘expected’ or above.

If you work for a large and complex further education and skills provider, we will consider your application if the criteria above apply to the area of the provision that you lead.

If you work for a non-association independent school, the school must meet all the independent school standards.

If you are a talented trust leader who is working to turn around a stuck or failing school that has recently joined your multi-academy trust, we may consider your application if some evaluation areas have been graded below ‘expected standard. For example, we may consider your application if the school has areas graded ‘needs attention’ or ‘urgent improvement’ and safeguarding is ‘not met’. But we will only do so if there has been no further decline and you are taking timely, effective action to improve.

Regional directors will make the final decision, taking account of the interests of children and learners, and the need to maintain Ofsted’s reputation for high-quality work.

Non-serving practitioners

You will be able to apply if you can demonstrate up-to-date knowledge, practice and expertise in your sector.

You will not currently be working at a provider inspected or regulated by Ofsted.

If you have previously worked at one or more,more theproviders lastthat onehave youbeen workedinspected ator regulated by Ofsted, the provider should have been ratedgraded as good or betteroutstanding at its most recent inspection. If you worked at a state-funded school that was inspected between September 2024 and 2025, the school should have been graded good in all sub-judgements.

The above criteria for talented leaders will also apply for non-serving practitioners.

Qualifications and experience required: for schools

Your qualifications

You will need both of the following:

• to hold qualified teacher status (known as ‘QTS’) or a recognised teaching qualification
• to be educated to degree level or equivalent level 6

Your experience

In addition to the qualifications above, you will need:

• a minimum of 5 years’ successful teaching experience in the relevant remit
• a further minimum of 2 years’ successful and substantial management experience in the relevant area
• up-to-date knowledge and practice in the sector

Qualifications and experience required: for FE and skills

You will need qualifications in teaching, lecturing or training.

In addition, you will need:

• a minimum of 3 years’ successful teaching or training in your relevant specialism
• a minimum of 3 years’ successful curriculum development experience in your relevant teaching or training environment
• a minimum of 3 years’ management experience, including curriculum leadership, quality assurance and quality improvement
• up-to-date knowledge and practice in the provision type that you will inspect

Skills and competencies required

You must be able to:

• use evidence to form hypotheses and questions
• identify priorities
• use evidence and your knowledge to evaluate options and arrive at well-reasoned decisions
• weigh complex and conflicting evidence to reach robust judgements
• write clear, accurate records and reports that explain your judgements convincingly and accurately

Register your interest

If you believe you meet the above requirements, you can register your interest to contract as an Ofsted inspector.