There is no official Ofsted script — inspectors do not read from a fixed list of questions. But their conversations with teachers are purposeful, and they cluster around the same themes every time. Knowing those themes lets teachers answer honestly and confidently, rather than rehearsing lines. This guide sets out the kinds of questions inspectors typically explore with teachers under the November 2025 framework, and how to approach them.
A note on preparation: the best answer is an honest one. Inspectors are experienced at spotting coached responses, and scripted answers undermine the trust the whole inspection depends on.
Quick summary
- Ofsted does not use a fixed list of questions; inspectors explore themes through professional conversation.
- With teachers, questions typically cover curriculum, teaching, assessment, behaviour, inclusion, workload and safeguarding.
- Inspectors are checking whether leaders’ account of the school matches teachers’ day-to-day experience.
- The strongest preparation is a shared, genuine understanding of the school’s curriculum and priorities — not rehearsed scripts.
The themes inspectors explore with teachers
Curriculum
Inspectors want to see that teachers understand what they teach and why. Typical lines of enquiry:
- What are pupils learning in your subject/year group, and why in this order?
- How does what you teach build on what came before and prepare for what comes next?
- How do you know pupils are remembering and building on prior learning?
Teaching and assessment
- How do you check what pupils have understood?
- What do you do when pupils fall behind or find something difficult?
- How do you give feedback, and how do pupils act on it?
Behaviour and attitudes
- What are the expectations for behaviour, and how consistently are they applied?
- How is low-level disruption managed?
- Do you feel supported by leaders in managing behaviour?
Inclusion and SEND
Reflecting the framework’s focus on inclusion:
- How do you adapt teaching for pupils with SEND or additional needs?
- How do you support disadvantaged pupils to access the full curriculum?
- How do you know these pupils are making progress?
Workload and support
The framework deliberately aims to reduce unnecessary workload, and inspectors often ask about it:
- Is your workload manageable?
- How do leaders support your professional development?
- Have recent changes added or removed unnecessary tasks?
Safeguarding
Every adult shares responsibility for safeguarding, so inspectors may ask any teacher:
- What would you do if a pupil disclosed something to you?
- Who is your Designated Safeguarding Lead?
- How do you report a concern?
How teachers should approach these conversations
- Be honest and specific. Real examples from your own classroom are far more convincing than generalities.
- Know your safeguarding basics cold. How to report a concern and who the DSL is are non-negotiable.
- Speak to your own practice. You are not expected to know whole-school data; you are expected to know your pupils and your subject.
- It’s fine not to know everything. “I’d check with my head of department” is a perfectly good answer where appropriate.
- Don’t rehearse scripts. Consistency comes from a genuinely shared understanding, not memorised lines.
What leaders can do to prepare teachers
The goal is confidence, not choreography. Leaders can:
- Ensure every teacher can describe the curriculum intent for what they teach.
- Refresh safeguarding basics — reporting routes and the DSL — regularly, not just before inspection.
- Make sure teachers know the school’s improvement priorities and how their work connects to them.
- Foster a culture where teachers feel able to speak honestly about strengths and challenges.
For the other conversations that happen during inspection, see our guides on the questions Ofsted asks school leaders, students and governors, and the overview in What Happens During an Ofsted Inspection?.
Frequently asked questions
Does Ofsted have a set list of questions for teachers?
No. Inspectors explore themes — curriculum, teaching, behaviour, inclusion, workload and safeguarding — through professional conversation, not a fixed script.
Will every teacher be interviewed?
Not necessarily formally, but inspectors talk to teachers during lesson visits and around the school, and may hold discussions with groups of staff.
What safeguarding questions might I be asked?
Commonly: what you would do if a pupil disclosed a concern, who your DSL is, and how you report concerns.
Do I need to know whole-school data?
No. You are expected to know your subject, your pupils and your own practice — not to recite school-wide statistics.
What if I don’t know the answer to a question?
Say so honestly, and where appropriate refer to your subject lead or leadership. Honesty is valued over guessing.
Will inspectors ask about my workload?
They may. The framework aims to reduce unnecessary workload, so questions about manageability and support are common.
Conclusion
Inspectors talk to teachers to test whether the school’s story is real in the classroom. The questions are predictable in theme but open in form — which is exactly why honesty works better than rehearsal. Teachers who understand their curriculum, know their pupils, and can speak plainly about safeguarding have little to fear.
How AI Buddy supports schools
Some of the questions teachers find hardest — how do you know pupils are remembering prior learning? how do you spot who’s falling behind? — are easier to answer when teachers can see the evidence. AI Buddy is designed to support schools in strengthening areas evaluated during Ofsted inspections, giving teachers formative assessment, learning-gap identification and progress insight that support these everyday conversations. It is not endorsed or certified by Ofsted; it is built to help teachers and schools develop and evidence quality.
Discover how AI Buddy helps schools strengthen teaching, learning and evidence-informed school improvement. Or start a short consultation with our schools team using the form below.
Sources
- Ofsted, Education inspection framework: for use from November 2025 (GOV.UK)
- Ofsted, School inspection operating guide for inspectors: for use from November 2025 (GOV.UK)
- Department for Education, Keeping Children Safe in Education (GOV.UK)