The Ofsted notification call: what to have ready and what to say

Reviewed by Ben Parnell, former headteacher and trust chief executive. Last reviewed 12 September 2026.

Ofsted normally telephones the headteacher between 9.30am and 10am on the Monday of the inspection week, though the call can land on the Tuesday if that week follows a bank holiday or is the first week back after Christmas, Easter or the summer break. A separate, longer planning call follows later the same day. This guide sets out what each call covers, what you need close to hand before you pick up the phone, and who to tell once you put it down.

When does the call come, and how much warning do you get?

For a standard graded inspection, expect the phone to ring between 9.30am and 10am on the Monday, with the inspection itself running on the Tuesday and Wednesday. If that Monday falls in a week with a bank holiday, or is the first week of a new term, the call can move to the Tuesday instead, with the inspection following on the Wednesday and Thursday.

That pattern does not hold for every inspection. A deferred inspection, one Ofsted has already agreed to postpone once, is not bound by the Monday slot and can be arranged for any working day. For the small number of inspections that happen with no notice at all, typically where there is a serious concern, the lead inspector calls around 15 minutes before the team arrives on site. Either way, the person on your front desk needs to know what to do with an Ofsted call on any morning of the year, not only in a week you were expecting one.

Who does Ofsted actually want on the phone?

The inspector asks to speak to the headteacher. If the headteacher is not available, they ask for the most senior member of staff on site. The headteacher's absence is not, on its own, a reason for Ofsted to defer, so whoever answers the phone needs the confidence to take the call rather than stall for time.

Ofsted encourages the headteacher to have at least one other senior leader with them for both this call and the planning call that follows, usually whoever normally deputises, or a member of trust staff, someone who can discuss the educational detail alongside them. If your school has a plan for who covers when the head is out, this is one more reason it needs to be current and known at reception.

What does the notification call cover, and what is left for later?

The first call is largely practical. The inspector confirms the type and length of the inspection, checks your contact details, and asks about governance: who chairs the governing body, whether you are part of a trust and who leads it, and whether there is an interim executive board in place. They ask about pupil numbers and composition, any off-site alternative provision, part-time timetables, and any nursery, breakfast, after-school or holiday provision run on site. You will be asked about closure dates coming up, any reasonable adjustments needed because of a disability, and whether you have a conflict of interest with any named inspector. The inspector gives you a number for Ofsted's provider contact helpline, and explains the option of naming a nominee, a link person the team can contact and update through the inspection. They also ask that you do not record this call or any that follow.

None of that is the "tell us about your school" conversation. That happens later, on the planning call.

What is the planning call, and how is it different?

The planning call is usually arranged for later the same day, run as a video call unless the technology will not allow it, and can last up to 90 minutes. It is normally attended by the headteacher, at least one other senior leader, and the nominee if you have chosen one.

This is where the substance sits. Inspectors want to understand your context and the needs of your pupils, and they ask leaders for their own evaluation of the school's strengths and priorities, including where you believe you currently sit against each evaluation area. They will go into more depth on SEND needs, alternative provision and part-time timetables than the first call allowed. Following an update that applies from September 2026, the planning call is also where inspectors and leaders agree which staff will accompany inspectors on learning walks, which now focus particularly on curriculum, teaching and achievement, with other evidence gathered alongside. If you only prepare for one of the two calls properly, prepare for this one.

How does the report card framework shape what they ask?

Under the framework now in use, every school is graded on six evaluation areas: leadership and governance, curriculum and teaching, achievement, attendance and behaviour, personal development and wellbeing, and inclusion, plus early years and post-16 provision where the school has them. Each is graded on a five point scale running from exceptional down to urgent improvement, and a school must meet every standard within a grade to be awarded it: strengths in one area no longer offset weaknesses in another. Safeguarding sits outside that scale, judged separately as either met or not met.

On both calls, inspectors are checking whether leaders can talk about where they stand in each area with evidence behind it, rather than describing intentions. Knowing your own honest position, and why, is better preparation than any script.

How is leader wellbeing handled on the call now?

Wellbeing has a specific place in current guidance to inspectors. During the planning call, inspectors are expected to check on the wellbeing of the headteacher and any other leaders present, and to establish who looks after the head's wellbeing day to day. They are also expected to make sure leaders know that support is available through the charity Education Support. More broadly, inspectors are told to act with professionalism, courtesy, empathy and respect throughout, and that raising a concern does not count against the school.

If something difficult is happening, a bereavement, a staff absence, an ongoing safeguarding matter, say so on the call. This is the point at which it is meant to be heard.

Have this within reach

Before the phone rings, or as soon as it does, you want these to hand rather than half remembered:

An up to date pupil roll: numbers, year groups, and anyone on a part-time timetable
A short SEND summary, including the number of pupils with an EHCP
Details of any off-site or alternative provision, with provider names
Any nursery, breakfast, after-school or holiday provision run on the premises
Your governance structure: the chair's name and number, your trust or CEO if you have one, and any interim executive board
Confirmed closure dates for the rest of the term
A note of any known conflict of interest with a named inspector
The name and number of whoever deputises for the headteacher
Your own honest one-page view against each evaluation area, with the evidence behind it
A cleared diary for the planning call, with your nominee and at least one other senior leader free to join
A short list of who needs telling once both calls end

The first hour after the call: office, staff, governors, trust

Once the phone goes down, the next hour matters more than people expect.

In the office, brief whoever is on the front desk and check sign-in and visitor arrangements are ready for the next two days. Look at the diary for anything that will clash and needs moving.

With staff, a short, calm briefing beats a long one. Confirm the dates, keep the tone level, and remind people that inspectors are looking for what happens ordinarily, not for anything laid on for the visit.

With governors, call the chair straight away, tell them what has been confirmed, and agree whether they are needed for a call or an interview during the inspection.

If you are part of a trust, tell the CEO or trust lead immediately. They may want to attend the planning call or send someone, and they will have their own people further up the chain to inform.

And look after yourself. Eat, drink some water, and ask someone you trust to take a few things off your desk for the rest of the day. There are two days of preparation ahead, not one hour.

Where InspectReady fits in

Some leaders want a second pair of eyes on what they are going to say before the planning call, especially the part where you set out your own view of the school. InspectReady's telephone call scripts help you present a clear account of your school, drawn from your own evidence, for both the introductory conversation and the follow-up call where you explain how your priorities connect across the school. If that would help during an inspection week, email hello@inspectready.education.

Frequently asked questions

Does Ofsted always call on a Monday? Usually, yes, for a standard graded inspection, with the call landing between 9.30am and 10am. It moves to Tuesday in a week that includes a bank holiday or is the first week back after a school holiday, and deferred inspections are not tied to a Monday at all.

What if no one senior is in school when the call comes? The inspector will ask for the most senior member of staff available. Make sure whoever answers your phones knows to find that person immediately, since the headteacher's absence does not stop the inspection going ahead.

Can we record the call to make sure we have it right? No. Inspectors ask schools not to record the notification call or any that follow. Take notes instead, and have your senior leader do the same so you have two accounts to compare afterwards.

What if the timing clashes with something serious, like a bereavement or a live safeguarding case? Say so on the call. Guidance to inspectors is clear that raising a concern does not count against the school, and the planning call specifically includes a check on leaders' wellbeing and who is looking after the headteacher day to day.

Is the planning call compulsory, or can we take the first call and get on with preparing? Treat it as fixed. It usually happens later the same day and is where the real conversation happens, including your own view of where the school sits against each evaluation area, so it is worth protecting the time rather than treating it as an afterthought.

What happens if the school cannot be reached on the day? Ofsted keeps trying at intervals through the day and logs each attempt until someone answers. It does not delay or cancel the inspection, so it is worth checking your main line is reliably staffed on any Monday morning.

Sources

Inspection information for state-funded schools: for use from September 2026, GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-inspection-toolkit-operating-guide-and-information/inspection-information-for-state-funded-schools-for-use-from-september-2026
School inspection operating guide for inspectors: for use from September 2026, GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-inspection-toolkit-operating-guide-and-information/school-inspection-operating-guide-for-inspectors-for-use-from-september-2026
Deferring Ofsted inspections and visits, GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deferring-ofsted-inspections
What you need to know about the September 2026 updates to education inspections, Ofsted: education (educationinspection.blog.gov.uk): https://educationinspection.blog.gov.uk/2026/06/12/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-september-2026-updates-to-education-inspections/
Ofsted: Monday notification call will not apply to deferred inspections, Tes: https://www.tes.com/magazine/news/general/ofsted-monday-notification-call-does-not-apply-deferred-inspections
More collaborative, more pressure: Heads issue report cards on new Ofsted inspections, Schools Week: https://schoolsweek.co.uk/more-collaborative-more-pressure-heads-issue-report-cards-on-new-ofsted-inspections/
InspectReady homepage: https://inspectready.education/

Questions school leaders ask

Does Ofsted always call on a Monday?: Usually, yes, for a standard graded inspection, with the call landing between 9.30am and 10am. It moves to Tuesday in a week that includes a bank holiday or is the first week back after a school holiday, and deferred inspections are not tied to a Monday at all.
What if no one senior is in school when the call comes?: The inspector will ask for the most senior member of staff available. Make sure whoever answers your phones knows to find that person immediately, since the headteacher's absence does not stop the inspection going ahead.
Can we record the call to make sure we have it right?: No. Inspectors ask schools not to record the notification call or any that follow. Take notes instead, and have your senior leader do the same so you have two accounts to compare afterwards.
What if the timing clashes with something serious, like a bereavement or a live safeguarding case?: Say so on the call. Guidance to inspectors is clear that raising a concern does not count against the school, and the planning call specifically includes a check on leaders' wellbeing and who is looking after the headteacher day to day.
Is the planning call compulsory, or can we take the first call and get on with preparing?: Treat it as fixed. It usually happens later the same day and is where the real conversation happens, including your own view of where the school sits against each evaluation area, so it is worth protecting the time rather than treating it as an afterthought.
What happens if the school cannot be reached on the day?: Ofsted keeps trying at intervals through the day and logs each attempt until someone answers. It does not delay or cancel the inspection, so it is worth checking your main line is reliably staffed on any Monday morning.