Ofsted-Ready
School Communication

How Ofsted assesses parent communication

Ofsted's Education Inspection Framework (EIF) assesses parent and carer engagement as part of the Leadership and Management judgement. Inspectors look for evidence that school leaders communicate effectively with parents about curriculum intent, pupil progress, safeguarding, and the school's overall vision.

Communication quality also surfaces in Personal Development judgements — where inspectors assess whether parents are meaningfully involved in their child's educational journey — and in Behaviour and Attitudes — where poor communication about attendance expectations is sometimes flagged.

The three sources of evidence inspectors use

1. Parent View data

Before and during an inspection, inspectors review the school's Parent View responses on Ofsted's website. The most relevant questions include:

• "My child's school keeps me well informed about how my child is getting on"
• "The school lets me know how I can help my child at home"
• "The school responds well to any concerns I raise"
• "I would recommend this school to another parent"

Schools with low response rates or poor scores on these questions will receive focused questioning about their parent engagement approach.

2. Parent interviews and surveys during the inspection

Inspectors often conduct a brief survey of parents on the gate or by phone during the inspection. They ask parents directly: do you feel informed about your child's progress? Does the school communicate important information promptly? Are your concerns addressed?

These responses carry significant weight. A handful of parents expressing frustration about poor communication can influence the inspection outcome even if the overall Parent View data is positive.

3. Leadership discussions

Inspectors will ask school leaders directly: how do you communicate with parents? What evidence do you have that communications reach all families? What do you do when parents do not respond? How do you support families with limited English?

Evidence that inspectors value

• Communication logs showing consistent, timely messaging to all parent groups
• Message delivery reports demonstrating that communications actually reached families (not just that they were sent)
• Multi-channel approach — not solely relying on a single email or app
• Evidence of two-way communication: parent feedback mechanisms, response tracking
• Translated communications for EAL families (evidence of multilingual engagement)
• Emergency notification records demonstrating prompt, effective crisis communication
• Parent consultation records for significant school decisions

Common communication weaknesses flagged in Ofsted reports

• App-only communications: Schools that rely on a single parent app for all communication miss families who do not use smartphones or have not downloaded the app. Ofsted inspectors note when communication channels exclude any segment of the parent community.
• Inconsistent frequency: Some terms being well-communicated and others not — parents notice inconsistency and mention it in inspections.
• No EAL accommodation: Schools with significant EAL populations that do not communicate in parents' home languages are vulnerable to criticism in inspections.
• One-way communication: Information pushed at parents without mechanisms for questions or feedback is viewed less favourably than two-way dialogue.

How MySchoolUpdate supports inspection readiness

• Delivery reports for every communication — evidence that messages reached families
• No app required — messages arrive via browser push, SMS, or email, maximising reach
• Built-in multilingual messaging — communicate in parents' own language
• Full communication history exportable for inspection evidence
• Group targeting — evidence that SEND families, EAL families, and specific year groups were communicated with appropriately
• Emergency broadcast with confirmed delivery — evidence of safeguarding-related communication capability

Frequently asked questions