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

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

Ofsted can enter such contracts under 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 (HMIsHMI). There is is separate guidance if you want to become an an HMI.

Who can be a contracted Ofsted inspectorInspector

YouFor canschools and FE and skills, we are currently only accepting applications through the pilot route for recruiting Ofsted Inspectors (OIs).

Through the pilot, OIs join Ofsted as part of peer groups from professional organisations and networks such as multi-academy trusts, local authorities, dioceses, local school networks, independent learning providers and general FE colleges.

The pilot is open to serving practitioners who meet the criteria set out below.

To be aconsidered contractedfor inspectorthe ifpilot, youapplicants are:must:

• a servingmeet practitionerthe eligibility criteria set out in this section for schools or FE and skills OIs
• a non-servingbe practitioner employed by a school, trust or FE and skills provider that also meets the eligibility criteria set out in this section
• be endorsed by their employer

All nominees for the participating organisation should complete an individual entry on the register of interest and give their employer details. 

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

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

Expectations and commitments associated with participation in the pilot

Contractual arrangements

Participation in the pilot is based on an agreement between Ofsted, the inspector and their employer. Inspectors do not contract with Ofsted as individual inspectors and do not receive inspection fees.

Instead, Ofsted contributes towards travel costs incurred by participating organisations in releasing staff to carry out inspection duties. We will share all relevant details directly with participating organisations.

Training and deployment

OIs recruited through the pilot will complete the same recruitment, assessment and training activities as other OIs in schools or FE and skills.

After they have successfully completed their training, we will allocate inspectors to inspections according to operational need. They will carry out the same inspection work as our current serving OIs and we will expect them to meet the same professional standards, conduct requirements and confidentiality obligations.

Ongoing professional development and engagement

Beyond initial training and allocation, inspectors will have opportunities for ongoing professional development, engagement and discussion with Ofsted throughout their inspection career. We will provide further details during the application process.

Employer endorsement

Employers must endorse an inspector before they can participate in the pilot.

By endorsing an application, the employer confirms that they:

• support the applicant’s participation as an inspector
• will release the applicant to undertake at least 10 days of induction training and to carry out inspection activity for a further 12 days a year

Organisations and employers may support multiple applicants to become OIs.

Serving practitioners

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

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

The provider you work for should have received:

• a good or outstanding judgement for overall effectiveness at its last inspection, if this was before September 2024, or
• for state-funded schools inspected after September 2024 (when the overall effectiveness grade was removed), a good or outstanding sub-judgementsub-judgements at its last inspection

We will also consider talented leaders currently working in providers that were 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 furtherFE 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‘expected’ standard. 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 providers that have been inspected or regulated by Ofsted, the provider should have been graded good or outstanding 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 hold qualified teacher status (known (known as ‘QTS’) or a recognised teaching qualification
• to be educated to degree level or 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 for FE and 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 youyour believegroup youmeets meet the above requirements, you can can register your interest to contract as an Ofsted inspector. Each individual in the group should complete an individual register of interest and give their employer details. 

When completing the register of interest form, applicants should select ‘Applying with the endorsement of your employer’.

This option confirms that the applicant’s organisation supports their participation in the pilot and is willing to enter into the required tripartite arrangements with Ofsted.