The general enquiries telephone number for The Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (OFSTED) is 0300 123 1231, this line is open between 8am and 6pm Monday to Friday. Call this number if you have any concerns, suggestions or other comments on your child’s school, nursery or other education setting.
OFSTED Registration
Enquiries about OFSTED registration should be directed to the OFSTED Online telephone line: 0300 123 1231. This number is available Monday to Friday between 8am and 6pm and is suitable for prospective OFSTED registered childminders, after school clubs, sports clubs and after school activity groups.
The OFSTED Online number can also be used for advice and information about how to fill in OFSTED registration forms on the Government Gateway and to request a password or ID reset if you have forgotten your login details.
OFSTED Inspection
The day before the inspection OFSTED will contact the school, or other place of learning, to let them know that an inspection will take place the folowing day. The inspector who phones will request to speak to the headteacher or the most senior teacher available to run through the inspection procedures and take details of the school such as number of pupils and and special needs provisions. The inspector will also notify that they will send the school and official email notifying of the inspection. Next the inspector will speak over the phone to the headteacher at his or her earliest conveninece to make sure that the school is aware of their obligations such as informing the governors and parents. The inspector will also make the necessary arrangements to speak to lead teachers.
OFSTED Inspection Complaints
Teachers, parents or governors can phone the OFSTED general enquiries number 0300 123 1231 to make a complaint about an inspection that has taken place in their school. A member of the team who carried out the inspection will then phone to try and address the complaint and give an account of why any decision were made. If this does not resolve the complaint the matter can be referred to the OFSTED internal review team. The next step if should the complaint still not be resolved satisfactorily is to contact the Independent Complaints Adjudication Service (ICASO) on 020 7536 6000, or contact them using one of the methods below:
EMAIL – adr@cedr.com
Postal Address
Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution
70 Fleet Street
London
EC4Y 1EU
Emergency Helpline
OFSTED operate a confidential and anonymous helpline which you can phone on 0300 123 4666 if you feel concerned about the welfare of a child in an education setting. Reports of abuse or any other concerns will be investigated thoroughly by OFSTED and if they feel it necessary they will place the school or early years education setting under investigation. If OFSTED feel there is a safeguarding concern they will contact police or social services as appropriate. If you have serious safeguarding concerns you can do the same.
Adult Education or Adult Skills
A common misconception about OFSTED is that many people believe their role is limted to assessing the quality of children’s educational settings. However OFSTED also do a great deal of work in the community working to ensure that adult educational setting meet the desired standard. You can contact the Adult Education of Adult Sills team on: 0300 123 4234.
OFSTED Partner Organisations
OFSTED outsource some of their work to a Bristol based educational company called Tribal. They are responsible for conducting inspections of childminders, pre-schools and early learning clubs in the south of England. Contact Tribal on their General enquiries telephone line 0845 123 6001 or one of one of their regional office numbers, detailed below.
| Office Location | Office Number |
|---|---|
| Birmingham | 0113 306 0306 |
| Norwich | 0845 873 0153 |
| Nottingham | 0115 934 7373 |
| Lancaster | 01524 384040 |
| Sheffield | 0844 811 5070 |
OFSTED Head Office
Ofsted can also be contacted via email on enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk or snail mail at the address, below:
Ofsted
Piccadilly Gate
Store Street
Manchester
M1 2WD