Ofsted Safeguarding
Ofsted
Safeguarding effectiveness assessment from Ofsted
Understanding Ofsted Safeguarding
Safeguarding is not graded on the 1-4 scale but is reported as either “effective” or “not effective.” This binary judgement reflects the fundamental importance of keeping children safe — there is no acceptable middle ground.
What Safeguarding Covers
Child Protection: - Are staff trained to recognise signs of abuse and neglect? - Are referrals made appropriately? - Is record-keeping thorough?
Safe Recruitment: - Are proper checks conducted on all staff? - Is the single central record maintained correctly? - Are volunteers and visitors properly vetted?
Culture of Safety: - Do staff understand their responsibilities? - Is there a culture of vigilance? - Do children feel safe and know how to report concerns?
Online Safety: - Is internet use monitored appropriately? - Are children taught about online risks? - Are filtering systems effective?
Why This Matters
Nothing matters more than children’s safety. A school with ineffective safeguarding has failed its most basic duty, regardless of its academic results.
Impact of “Not Effective”
If safeguarding is found to be not effective: - The school cannot be rated Good or Outstanding overall - Immediate action is required - Follow-up inspection is likely
For Parents
Effective safeguarding means: - Your child is in a safe environment - Staff are properly vetted - Concerns would be handled appropriately - The school takes protection seriously
Technical Details
- Column Name
- ofsted_safeguarding
- Data Source
- Ofsted
Coverage by School Phase
How many schools have data available for this field.
This field does not contribute to the performance score calculation.
Value Distribution by School Phase
Distribution of categorical values across schools.