For schools and education settings

Met or not met: safeguarding under the new Ofsted report card

The new report card changes a lot. For safeguarding, the message is simple.

From November 2025, Ofsted will inspect under its new framework and report through a report card rather than a single headline grade. Much has changed. For safeguarding, though, the message is strikingly simple: met, or not met. There is no partial pass. That can feel daunting. It needn't be.

Across the report card, most areas are graded on a five-point scale. Safeguarding stands apart. It is judged only as met or not met, and it is a limiting judgement, so a “not met” will overshadow even the strongest teaching, curriculum and leadership. The safeguarding basics are not just one part of the picture; they are the foundation on which the whole picture rests.

The non-negotiables to get watertight

A single central record that is complete and current.
A trained Designated Safeguarding Lead, with trained deputies available whenever the setting is open.
Safer recruitment is followed for every appointment.
Every member of staff can identify a concern and know exactly how to report it.
Filtering and monitoring are in place with clear roles, and online safety is taught and reinforced.

Inspectors look beyond the files to the culture. They want an open, positive climate where concerns are raised early and acted on, and where children know they will be listened to. Compliance keeps you safe. Culture is what keeps children safe.

Current inspections benchmark against Keeping Children Safe in Education, and a significant update, KCSIE 2026, takes effect from 1 September, so keeping pace with the guidance is part of staying “met”. I will say more about those changes in a future note.

To see where you stand, there is a free, confidential Ofsted and KCSIE readiness check on my website. A few honest minutes will show you which basics are secure and where to focus.

For governors and leaders to discussIf an inspector called tomorrow, is every safeguarding basic in place and evidenced? Who in your setting would describe the culture as open, and how would you know? And when a concern was last raised, what was the follow-up?

Met is achievable for every setting that gets the basics right and truly lives them. Let us make your next inspection a calm, evidenced non-event.