Ofsted Readiness Checklist
A practical self-check for headteachers preparing for inspection – written with insights from former headteacher and lead inspector Steve Kirkpatrick.
Inspection readiness isn’t about perfection
Most schools are already doing the work. The challenge is being able to clearly show:
- What’s in place
- How it connects
- The impact it’s having
…often within a very short space of time.
This checklist is designed to help you sense-check your readiness without creating extra workload or unnecessary paperwork.
What the checklist covers:
✅ First impressions & school culture
✅ Leadership clarity & school narrative
✅ Evidence & inspection readiness
✅ Case sampling & inclusion
✅ Inspection practicalities during the 24-hour window
✅ Leadership under pressure
Designed to take around 10–15 minutes to complete.
Built from real inspection experience
This checklist was developed alongside Steve Kirkpatrick – former headteacher and lead inspector, now co-founder of Intelligent Evidence.
It’s grounded in the practical realities of inspection, including:
- What inspectors notice first
- Where schools often get caught out
- What confident, well-prepared leadership looks like in practice
“The schools that feel most confident during inspection usually aren’t the schools doing the most. They’re the schools who understand their story clearly and know where their evidence sits.”
Steve Kirkpatrick
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