Framework focus: What Ofsted’s standards really say about parents and carers.
- Euan
- Apr 29
- 13 min read
This week, we're delving into the various curriculum and inspection frameworks and accreditation guidelines. In each of our posts this week, we share with you the extent to which the organisations mention and discuss, in their literature, the role of parents and carers. And if considerable... we ask teachers and leaders to reflect on the extent to which they are following and adhering consistently and sustainably to the frameworks under which they operate.
Next up on the agenda this week... Ofsted. We consulted 35 documents published by Ofsted and the Department for Education in England prior to writing this article.
Ofsted’s current framework: references to parents and carers.
Ofsted’s Education Inspection Framework (EIF), introduced in 2019 and in effect through 2023, makes clear that inspection serves parents and carers as key stakeholders. In the EIF introduction, Ofsted states that inspection provides “important information to parents, carers, learners and employers about the quality of education, training and care,” enabling them to make informed choices. Throughout the framework and its guidance, references to “parents” generally include mothers, fathers, and legal guardians or carers. The framework embeds expectations that schools work in partnership with parents and that inspectors consider parental feedback during inspections.
Under the EIF’s criteria (as detailed in the School Inspection Handbook, updated for September 2023), school leaders are explicitly expected to engage and communicate effectively with parents. For example, one key judgement area, Leadership and Management, looks at how well leaders “seek to engage parents and their community thoughtfully and positively in a way that supports pupils’ education.” Inspectors also consider whether leaders draw appropriate boundaries, “resisting inappropriate attempts to influence what is taught” (i.e. guarding against undue outside interference). In practice this means schools are judged on forming constructive partnerships with parents: communicating transparently, responding to concerns, and involving parents in school life where it benefits pupils’ education. Similarly, the EIF expects that school leaders “engage effectively with…parents, carers” as part of the wider community of stakeholders. Even in safeguarding, Ofsted notes that effective leaders “actively seek and listen to the views and experiences of… parents, taking prompt but proportionate action to address any concerns”. These references show that in the current framework, parents’ voices and the school’s relationship with parents are woven into the criteria for a well-led, well-managed school.
Gathering parental feedback during inspections.
Parental feedback and engagement are formally built into Ofsted’s inspection process. Inspectors have a statutory duty to take parents’ views into account on a Section 5 full (graded) inspection. Both the law and Ofsted’s handbook require that schools notify all parents when an inspection is coming and explain how parents can share their opinions. Ofsted’s main tool for this is the online Parent View questionnaire, which allows parents to submit feedback on their child’s school at the time of inspection. According to the School Inspection Handbook (Ofsted, 2023), the inspection team provides the school with a template letter to send to all parents at the start of an inspection, giving the Parent View link and informing parents how to contact the inspectors directly. Schools are legally required to take “reasonably practicable” steps to notify all registered parents (including those of pupils who are absent or in alternative provision) about the inspection. Inspectors will remind the school of this duty and encourage the school to use its usual communication channels (email, text, etc.) to reach parents.
During the inspection, inspectors actively gather and review parents’ views. They consider responses on Parent View throughout the inspection period. If Parent View response rates are low, inspectors may seek additional evidence of parental opinions, for example, by arranging discussions with parents at the school gates or by meeting a group of parents where feasible. (The handbook notes that where practicable, inspectors will hold discussions or meetings with parents or groups of parents during the visit.) Inspectors are also instructed to take into account any other evidence from parents, such as results of school-run parent surveys or written comments received. If an individual parent raises a serious issue (through Parent View free-text or by contacting the inspection team), inspectors will follow it up with the school’s leadership and record the school’s response. In short, parental feedback is an important evidence source in forming inspection judgements. The Ofsted handbook explicitly cites “responses from Ofsted’s Parent View” as well as “relevant complaints made about the school to Ofsted” as evidence to be considered. (Under the Education Act 2005, parents can lodge certain qualifying complaints to Ofsted about issues at a school; inspectors will be aware of any such complaints referred by parents and factor them in.)
At the end of an inspection, the views of parents help shape the inspectors’ conclusions. For example, consistent praise or concerns from a significant number of parents might influence the grading of areas like behaviour or leadership. The inspection report (published afterward) will typically include a brief summary of parent survey results and may quote parents’ feedback in aggregate. This emphasis on parental voice has been consistent. Even the older 2015 inspection framework stressed that inspectors must consider parents’ views and gave parents avenues to contribute feedback. In August 2015 guidance, Ofsted noted its duty to regard the views of parents and other prescribed persons at the point of inspection, with Parent View being the primary mechanism. If too few Parent View responses were received in 2015, inspectors likewise would “gather further evidence of parents’ views” through other means, a process that continues in the 2019+ framework.
Pause for reflection: Outside the pressure of inspections, how often are parents’ views genuinely sought in your setting? More fundamentally, how often are parents’ voices meaningfully included and factored into real school decision-making?
Parents’ role in inspection and school evaluation.
Beyond collecting parents’ opinions, the frameworks also examine how well schools themselves communicate and partner with parents. Ofsted’s judgements consider the school’s engagement with parents as an aspect of quality. In the current School Inspection Handbook (2023), the criteria for “good” or “outstanding” leadership include effective communication with parents. Inspectors look at “whether leaders seek to engage parents and the community thoughtfully and positively in a way that supports pupils’ education”, as noted earlier. A school where leaders proactively involve parents (for example, by keeping them informed of their children’s progress, listening to their concerns, and welcoming their involvement in school activities or decision-making where appropriate) will meet this aspect of the leadership and management judgement. Conversely, a school that has poor communication with parents or a dysfunctional relationship with its parent body may be marked down. Notably, the handbook also warns that while engagement is encouraged, leaders must also maintain professional boundaries, for instance, resisting pressure from any external parties (including parents) that would detract from providing an objective, balanced education.
In terms of teaching and curriculum, current Ofsted criteria do not explicitly require reporting on parental communication in the same detail as the old framework did (since the 2019 EIF refocused on curriculum quality). However, the expectation that schools inform parents about pupils’ progress and how to support learning is still implicit. The previous framework (2015–2018) had a separate judgement for Teaching, Learning and Assessment, which explicitly included the quality of feedback to parents. Under the 2015 handbook, an Outstanding school would ensure that “Parents are provided with clear and timely information on how well their child is progressing… and are given guidance about how to support their child to improve.”. Similarly, in that era a “good” school was expected to keep parents well informed and encourage them to support learning at home. For example, in the early years context, good provision meant parents “are kept well informed about their children’s progress” and “encouraged to support their children’s learning and development at home.”. Today, even though the judgement categories have changed (e.g. “Quality of Education” instead of separate teaching and outcomes judgements), inspectors still check that schools communicate effectively with parents. Often this will come up in evaluating leadership and management or in how the school supports pupils with additional needs. Schools are expected to report pupils’ progress to parents at least annually and to involve parents in support plans for children with special educational needs, for instance. Failure to fulfil statutory duties to inform parents (such as not publishing required information on the school website) is taken seriously. In fact, Ofsted may treat missing statutory information for parents as a governance/leadership weakness or even as a trigger for inspection in some cases.
One area where parent-school partnership is critical is early years education, and the frameworks reflect this. Ofsted evaluates how early years settings (including Reception classes in primary schools) work with parents. The current handbook’s grade descriptors for early years still mirror the older approach: a strong early years provision will involve parents in establishing each child’s starting points and keep parents updated on progress. If this partnership is weak, it adversely affects the judgement. For example, the handbook states that an ineffective early years setting might have poor strategies for engaging parents, such that “parents do not know what their child is learning or how they can help them improve.” This scenario would contribute to an “Inadequate” rating. By contrast, effective early years leaders build effective relationships with families, including regular communication and opportunities for parents to contribute, which is seen as good practice (and often mentioned in inspection reports).
In the Behaviour and Attitudes category, indirect references to parents also appear. Inspectors may gauge how well the school works with parents to manage attendance and behaviour. The handbook expects schools to have effective systems for dealing with bullying and misbehaviour, and part of that is communicating with parents (for instance, informing parents of any concerns and working together on solutions). While not a formal criterion, in evaluating a school’s culture inspectors might note if parents report that misbehaviour or bullying is not addressed. A consistently high level of parental complaints about bullying could flag weaknesses in the Behaviour judgement. On the flip side, if parents overwhelmingly say that their children are happy and safe at school, that can reinforce a positive judgement for Behaviour and Attitudes. Thus, parental feedback indirectly feeds into these qualitative aspects as well.
Department for Education (DfE) guidance and policy on parent engagement.
The Department for Education in England also emphasises the role of parents and carers in the school system through its policies and statutory guidance. For example, the DfE’s Teachers’ Standards (which all teachers must meet) include an expectation that teachers communicate effectively with parents about pupils’ achievements and progress. This underlines that at the classroom level, engaging parents is part of a teacher’s professional duty (e.g. through parents’ evenings or reports). School leaders are expected to foster this communication culture school-wide. Additionally, schools are legally required to provide certain information to parents. The DfE’s statutory policies and regulations mandate that schools publish details such as their curriculum plans, pupil premium spending, and exam results on their websites, for transparency to parents and the public. Ofsted inspectors routinely check that these required postings (like curriculum information) are present, as an absence of legally required information for parents could be noted as a concern. This is one way DfE’s accountability requirements for schools (ensuring parents can access key information) intersect with the inspection process.
In terms of broader accountability, the DfE views parents as essential partners and consumers of education. Performance tables and school report cards are published so that parents can review a school’s outcomes. The DfE’s “Schools causing concern” guidance (for local authorities and regional directors) also acknowledges parents. For instance, if a school is 'failing', there are processes to inform parents and even mechanisms for parent complaints to spur investigations. Under the law (Education Act 2005), as noted, certain serious complaints from parents can trigger Ofsted to inspect or investigate. The existence of this “qualifying complaint” route underscores that parents have a formal voice in holding schools accountable beyond the school’s own complaint procedures.
A recent policy development highlighting parents’ role is the “Parent Pledge” announced in the DfE’s March 2022 Schools White Paper (Opportunity for All). This Parent Pledge is essentially a commitment that schools will provide targeted support to any child falling behind in English or maths and keep parents informed about this support and their child’s progress. In the White Paper, the government describes the Parent Pledge as “a promise… to families” that evidence-based help will be given if their child is behind, and that parents will be told how their child is doing. The pledge reinforces the principle that parents should not be left in the dark if their child needs extra help; instead, they should be active partners in the intervention process. While this was a policy proposal (the White Paper is not law), it influenced the conversation around accountability. Effectively, it is saying schools are accountable to parents for providing support to each individual pupil. Ofsted has indicated support for the intentions of the Parent Pledge. The DfE even noted it would work with Ofsted to highlight best practices in how schools deliver on this pledge. This suggests that future updates to Ofsted’s framework or school guidance may give even more weight to how schools communicate with parents about academic recovery and support. Even before the Parent Pledge, though, the idea that schools should report candidly to parents about their child’s progress (and any needed catch-up support) was embedded in good practice. The pledge simply amplifies and formalises that expectation in policy terms.
Another area of DfE guidance involving parents is in school governance and accountability. The DfE’s Governance Handbook (guidance for school governors and academy trustees) highlights the importance of being connected with the community and parents. Boards of maintained schools must include parent governor representatives, and trusts often have parent representatives at local level, a recognition of the value of parent perspectives in governance. The Governance Handbook (2020 edition) advises boards to understand the views of parents and the local community, and to communicate effectively with them as part of being transparent and accountable. For example, governors are encouraged to use tools like parent surveys, forums or feedback sessions to gauge parental satisfaction and concerns. While this may not be directly part of an Ofsted inspection judgement, a school with strong governance will typically have good channels for parent voice. This is something inspectors can and do comment on in reports (e.g. “Governors understand the school’s community well and have responded to parents’ feedback on X…”). It’s also worth noting that the Ofsted inspection reports themselves are written partly for parents’ consumption. DfE policy requires that certain information from the report (like the school’s overall effectiveness grade) is communicated to all parents by the school. In this way, both Ofsted and the DfE treat parents as an audience who must be kept informed about a school’s performance. In summary, DfE guidance consistently upholds that schools should view parents as partners in their children’s education, whether through daily interactions, formal reporting, or governance and accountability structures.
Pause for reflection: Does your school’s practice go beyond gathering parent views as a compliance exercise? It’s worth reflecting: are parents’ voices genuinely influencing school decisions, or are they heard but rarely acted upon? At &Parents, we strongly advocate for schools to move past the realms of tokenism to authentic parental participation that values and incorporates the thoughts and opinions into decision-making.
As an aside... Ofsted's proposed changes to school inspections (2025).
In February 2025, Ofsted launched a consultation titled Improving the way Ofsted inspects education, proposing significant changes to its inspection framework. A central aspect of these proposals is the introduction of detailed "report cards" to replace the traditional single-word overall effectiveness grades. This shift aims to provide parents and carers with more nuanced information about schools' performance across multiple areas, including curriculum quality, leadership, and safeguarding.
Feedback from parents and carers has been instrumental in shaping these proposals. Through Ofsted's "Big Listen" initiative, many expressed a desire for more comprehensive and transparent reporting that reflects the complexities of school performance. In response, the proposed report cards are designed to offer a clearer picture of a school's strengths and areas for improvement, facilitating better-informed decisions by parents and carers.
However, the proposed changes have not been universally welcomed. Some parents and educators have raised concerns about the new colour-coded grading system, arguing that it may oversimplify complex evaluations and potentially mislead stakeholders. Critics also question the feasibility of accurately assessing multiple performance areas within the limited timeframe of standard inspections.
Teachers have raised doubts about whether Ofsted’s proposed 2025 framework will deliver real improvements. While the new report card approach is designed to offer more detailed information for parents and carers, many teachers fear that the underlying pressures of inspection will stay the same.
The move to separate judgements in areas like curriculum and leadership aims to help parents understand schools’ strengths and weaknesses more clearly. However, teachers question whether simply replacing a single-word grade with multiple coloured ratings will reduce the fear and compliance culture inspections often create. Some worry that the new system could still be reduced to a headline judgement in the eyes of parents, rather than supporting a deeper understanding.
There is also concern that proposals such as phase-specific toolkits and more frequent monitoring for struggling schools could add complexity and workload without improving the quality of education or strengthening genuine parent-school partnerships.
Have we learned any lessons?
While Ofsted stresses that inspections should serve parents and carers by providing transparency and supporting engagement, teachers remain sceptical. Without deeper reform, many feel that inspections may continue to prioritise external image over the real, everyday relationships that matter most to pupils, families and schools.
There is also a lingering question that hangs heavily: after the tragedy of Ruth Perry’s death, has the system truly learned anything? Teachers and school leaders wonder if the proposals address the real human cost of inspection pressures or if, once again, the lessons of loss risk being brushed aside in the pursuit of appearances over real, everyday relationships that matter most.
Invitation to reflect.
At &Parents, we invite you to pause and reflect honestly: how deeply are you living the standards regarding parents your frameworks demand? Are parents real partners in your school, or are they engaged particularly when it comes to the Parent View survey going out? Sustainability means going beyond compliance. It means building engagement into the everyday culture of your school.
This isn’t about self-criticism. It’s about strengthening what already exists. Reflection gives you the chance to notice what’s working, face where gaps remain, and take ownership of the next steps.
Act on your reflection. Map where you meet expectations and where you don't. Share it openly with your team. Set one small, specific action that moves parent partnership from paper into daily practice. Compliance is the minimum. True parent-school collaboration is the goal.
Changes to your school's practice can cement enhanced student academic and holistic outcomes, increase student and staff retention, and overall school improvement.
At &Parents, we help schools move beyond words. Through consultancy, workshops, coaching and audits, we work with you to embed strong, sustainable parent partnerships into everyday practice. If you're ready to turn reflection into action, we’re ready to support you.
** Note: &Parents has no affiliation to Ofsted or the Department for Education (in England) and this piece is completely independent of any organisation. This article has not been commissioned by the Ofsted or any other organisation. All rights to Ofsted standards, and documents belong to Ofsted and the Department of Education.
Sources (expandable list)
Ofsted - Education Inspection Framework (EIF)(Originally published May 2019, updated July 2023) Link to document on gov.uk
Ofsted - School Inspection Handbook (Updated for use from September 2023) Link to document on gov.uk
Ofsted - School Inspection Handbook(August 2015 edition, used for historical comparison)[Archived version available on gov.uk]
Department for Education (DfE) - Opportunity for All: Strong Schools with Great Teachers for Your Child (Schools White Paper, March 2022) Link to document on gov.uk
Department for Education - Teachers’ Standards (Published July 2011) Link to document on gov.uk
Department for Education - Statutory Guidance on School Information Regulations (Ongoing requirements for school websites) Link to summary on gov.uk
Education Act 2005 (Referenced particularly Sections 6 and 7 on inspections and parental views)
Ofsted - Improving the Way Ofsted Inspects Education: Consultation Document (Published February 2025) Link to consultation document
Ofsted - News Article: Ofsted Sets Out Proposals for Fairer Education Inspections and New, More Detailed Report Cards (Published February 2025) Link to news release
PMT Education Blog - Teachers' Views on the 2025 Ofsted Inspection Framework (Published April 2025) Link to blog