Skip to content
Back
Safeguarding

Safeguarding and school inspection

Advice to help governing boards demonstrate an effective safeguarding culture through the inspection process.

Guidance
17/11/2022
school-environment group of pupils walking down corridor with teacher using the printer

One of the most important duties that governing boards fulfil is to ensure that their school provides a safe environment for pupils.

This advice from the National Governance Association (NGA) and the National Association of Headteachers (NAHT) aims to help governing boards demonstrate, through the inspection process, that an effective safeguarding culture exists throughout their school/trust.

The advice covers:

  • governing board safeguarding responsibilities
  • the evidence that Ofsted look for
  • what inspectors may ask about

Safeguarding and school inspection

PDF download

What do Ofsted look for?

Although safeguarding is not graded as a specific area, Ofsted inspectors will always make a written judgement under ‘leadership and management’ about whether the arrangements for safeguarding pupils are effective. Where safeguarding is found to be ineffective, it is likely to lead to an inadequate judgement for leadership and management.

Governing boards should be able to demonstrate that they know what the strengths and areas for development are for their school/trust in relation to safeguarding. Where there are areas for development, the board should know what is being done to address them.

Safeguarding responsibilities

In broad terms, governing boards are responsible for ensuring that:

  • safeguarding policies and procedures are effective and comply with the law at all times
  • all staff understand their roles and responsibilities and are able to discharge them
  • the board has sufficient knowledge and capacity to fulfil its safeguarding responsibilities

Our safeguarding guidance details board responsibilities in full and explains how to fulfil this important duty.

Related content