If you were unable to join us for the CAS Primary & Secondary Online Community: Ofsted Framework Update online community meeting, don’t worry!

You can catch up on all the content and a recording of the session below.

What the New Ofsted Framework Means for Computing Teachers

 

Key Takeaways

• The new Ofsted framework removes single-word judgements and introduces a more nuanced, evidence-led reporting model.

• Computing may now appear in inspection in more informal and varied ways, particularly through learning walks and pupil conversations.

• Inspectors place strong emphasis on the experiences of disadvantaged pupils across the school day, including in computing lessons.

• What leaders say about computing must closely match what inspectors see in practice.

• Transparency about areas for development is viewed more positively than overstating strengths.

Understanding the New Inspection Landscape

This CAS community session focused on helping computing teachers make sense of the new Ofsted inspection framework, introduced in November, and what it means in practice for both primary and secondary computing.

The session was led by Eleanor Overland, who shared insights from her experience as a former His Majesty’s Inspector (HMI) and current Ofsted inspector. While not an official Ofsted training session, it provided a clear, grounded overview of how inspections are now being carried out and where computing may sit within them 

One of the most noticeable changes is the removal of overall single-word judgements. Inspection reports now use a scaled, dot-based system across multiple categories, offering a more granular picture of a school’s strengths and areas for development. These reports are interactive when viewed online and can also be exported as PDFs, making them easier to explore in detail.

What Inspectors Do Differently Now

A key theme throughout the session was that inspections now begin well before any formal meetings take place.

Inspectors are out in school from the very start of day one, talking to pupils and staff, observing arrival routines, and potentially visiting provision such as breakfast clubs or early interventions. For computing teachers, this means that inspection evidence may be gathered through:

• Conversations about online safety and safeguarding

• Observations of device use, behaviour around technology, or phone policies

• Pupils engaging with digital tools before formal lessons begin

Importantly, inspectors are now encouraged to be more present and engaged, rather than typing continuously during conversations. Notes are written up afterwards, which places greater emphasis on how clearly and accurately practice is represented in the moment.

Learning Walks and the End of Deep Dives

Another significant shift is that subject deep dives are no longer a fixed feature of inspection.

Instead, inspectors conduct planned learning walks, agreed with school leaders, each with a clear theme such as curriculum, assessment, behaviour, or inclusion. While computing may not always be a focus on day one—particularly in primary settings—it can feature at multiple points across the inspection, especially where it intersects with wider themes.

These learning walks are usually accompanied by a school leader and include lesson visits, discussions with pupils, and review of work in context.

Disadvantaged Pupils and Case Sampling

The framework places a strong and explicit emphasis on disadvantaged pupils, using this term as an umbrella that includes pupils with SEND, pupils in receipt of Pupil Premium, looked-after children, and those with safeguarding concerns.

Inspectors now use case sampling, selecting a small group of disadvantaged pupils and tracking their experiences across the school day. This may include visits to computing lessons, interventions using digital tools, or conversations about how learning builds over time.

For computing teachers, this reinforces the importance of understanding:

• Where disadvantaged pupils encounter computing in the curriculum

• How digital tools support access, inclusion, or intervention

• Whether pupils can articulate what they have learned previously and how it connects to current work

Curriculum, Achievement, and Leadership in Computing

Inspectors assess schools by starting at an ‘expected standard’ and moving up or down based on evidence.

For computing, this means leaders should have a confident, evidence-informed understanding of:

• How the computing curriculum is sequenced and taught

• How pupil knowledge builds over time

• How teaching quality is monitored and supported, particularly for non-specialists

Crucially, inspectors are not looking for perfection. A recurring message from the session was that acknowledging known gaps or areas under development is a strength, provided leaders can explain what is being done about them.

This applies equally to achievement. Examination data is considered at secondary level, but inspectors also place significant weight on what pupils can demonstrate and explain during inspection.

AI, Digital Safeguarding, and CPD

The session also addressed how artificial intelligence fits into inspection.

Inspectors will not inspect AI in isolation. Instead, it may appear as part of curriculum discussions, safeguarding considerations, data protection, or leadership decision-making. In some schools, it may not arise at all.

What matters most is whether schools can show:

• Awareness of current risks and opportunities

• Consideration of bias, data protection, and safeguarding

• Appropriate staff CPD to support informed decision-making

Inspectors are not expected to be AI experts themselves, but they will look for evidence that schools are engaging thoughtfully with the evolving digital landscape.

Next Steps: Reflecting on Your Own Practice

After this session, computing teachers may want to ask themselves:

• How would a senior leader describe computing in our school—and does that match everyday practice?

• Could pupils clearly explain what they learned previously and how it links to current work?

• How visible is computing in wider school life beyond timetabled lessons?

• How do we support disadvantaged pupils within computing specifically?

• Are staff confident discussing AI, online safety, and emerging technologies?

Possible Classroom and Department Activities

• Practise retrieval-style pupil conversations that focus on learning over time

• Review how digital work is stored and shared during lessons

• Map where disadvantaged pupils encounter computing across the school day

• Run staff discussions on AI risks, bias, and safeguarding scenarios

Further Resources

Ofsted Inspector training videos