Preparing governors for Ofsted
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From £600 +VAT for up 10 delegates
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Preparing Governors and Trustees for Ofsted Inspections (2026 Update)
Our online Ofsted Preparation Training for School and College Governors, Trustees and Governing Boards is delivered by former Ofsted inspectors. The session is interactive, practical and thought-provoking, helping governors and trustees understand the vital role they play in supporting leaders, strengthening accountability and contributing to continuous improvement.
The training reflects the expectations within the renewed Ofsted inspection framework and inspection toolkits introduced from November 2025. Governors and trustees will gain a clear understanding of how inspectors evaluate leadership and governance and what evidence boards should be able to demonstrate during inspection conversations.
The new Ofsted inspection toolkits place a strong emphasis on leadership and governance and the impact of strategic oversight.
“Leadership and governance are judged on how well leaders ensure every learner can belong and thrive, maintain an accurate understanding of strengths and weaknesses, take effective and timely action for improvement, balance accountability with staff well-being and workload, and engage stakeholders appropriately.”
Inspectors will explore how effectively governors and trustees understand their organisation, provide strategic challenge, support improvement and ensure leaders deliver positive outcomes for pupils, learners and apprentices. Governors should be able to demonstrate how they hold leaders to account while supporting sustainable improvement and safeguarding responsibilities.
By the end of the session, participants will be able to:
- Understand how leadership and governance are evaluated under the current Ofsted inspection framework.
- Recognise the questions inspectors are likely to ask governors and trustees.
- Understand how governors contribute to strategic leadership, accountability and organisational improvement.
- Identify the information and evidence governors should routinely review before inspection.
- Understand governors’ safeguarding responsibilities, including creating an effective safeguarding culture.
- Recognise how governors oversee attendance, inclusion, learner wellbeing and educational performance.
- Demonstrate how governors support continuous improvement whilst appropriately challenging leaders.
Key areas covered
- The renewed Ofsted inspection framework and inspection toolkits.
- Governance responsibilities and statutory duties.
- Strategic oversight and accountability.
- School and college performance measures.
- Safeguarding culture and governance oversight.
- Inclusion, attendance and learner wellbeing.
- Effective use of self-assessment and improvement planning.
- Preparing for governor and trustee interviews.
- Common inspection themes and emerging expectations.
Delivered by former Ofsted inspectors
Our trainers are former Ofsted inspectors with extensive experience of inspection, governance and leadership across schools, sixth forms, colleges and further education providers. The training includes practical examples, current inspection themes, recommended questions governors should be asking, and guidance on demonstrating impact during inspection discussions.
Current Ofsted expectations of governance
The renewed framework highlights the importance of strong governance and oversight.
Governors and trustees should be able to demonstrate that they:
- Have an accurate understanding of organisational strengths and areas for development.
- Provide effective support and challenge to senior leaders.
- Monitor the impact of improvement actions.
- Ensure statutory and safeguarding responsibilities are met.
- Promote a culture where all pupils and learners can belong and thrive.
- Maintain effective oversight of educational performance and quality.
Our training has been mapped to Ofsted Guidance to ensure it provides governors/ trustees with relevant training, information and resources.
By the end of the session, attendees will be able to:
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- Identify the expectations of Education Inspection Framework for governors
- Recognise the type of interview Ofsted would hold with key governors
- Recognise the key information governors would need prior to Ofsted inspection
- Identify the safeguarding responsibilities for governors
The online training event is 2 hours long which is ideal for governor/trustees training days or evening meetings.
The price includes:
- Interactive and thought provoking online session with a highly qualified trainer who is a former Ofsted inspector
- Continuous Professional Development attendance certificate
Anne Horn
Anne has worked in education for over 25 years and is passionate about high quality teaching and training. Anne led her department to outstanding for over consecutive 10 years. Anne’s prior experiences as a Ofsted Inspector allows her to provide support to schools, colleges and training providers as an consultant offering pre inspection support and guidance. Anne is dedicated to improving standards in safeguarding. She has written training programmes for Early Years, Schools and Colleges and ensured the training of thousands of staff members has been rigorous, informative and improved the quality of safeguarding for childcare and vulnerable adults winning the Nursery World Trainer of the Year for this work. Anne is a lay member of her Local Safeguarding Partnership (LSCB).
Sam Sutton
Sam has many years experience working in the further education sector; leading on apprenticeship provision, vocational and professional qualifications for adults and study programmes for young people. As a former member of the senior leadership team of a College she was responsible for safeguarding vulnerable young people.
Sam has worked as an Ofsted Inspector and was a consultant and lecturer for Anglia Ruskin University. Sam’s sector expertise is wide ranging and she is passionate about high quality training and assessment. She holds higher level qualifications in leadership teaching, childcare and is passionate about high quality safeguarding practice and leadership. Sam is a Home Office approved Prevent trainer and is approved by local safeguarding boards to train safeguarding.
This training is valid for 3 years.
We are able to accommodate groups of up to 20 governors or trustees.
The cost for this course is from £550+VAT.
COURSE DURATION
LEVEL
AWARDING ORGANISATION
LOCATION
PAYMENT OPTIONS
From £600 +VAT for up 10 delegates
PRICE
Please check our Privacy Policy to see how we use your personal data. You may opt out of tracking if you wish.
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