Ofsted pilots independent complaint reviews that can set aside a school's grades

On 16 October 2026 Ofsted announced a pilot of a new Independent Complaints Review (ICR) service. The key difference from today's arrangements: for the first time an independent body will be able to judge not only whether Ofsted handled a school's complaint properly, but whether the outcome itself was fair and reasonable — including the grades awarded.

What changes for schools, and why should parents care?

At present a school unhappy with how its complaint was handled can go to ICASO, the Independent Complaints Adjudication Service for Ofsted. ICASO's remit is narrow: it decides whether Ofsted handled the complaint appropriately, and it cannot overturn inspection findings or withdraw a published report.

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The new ICR service will have access to the original complaint, to Ofsted's response, and — crucially — to the original, unredacted inspection evidence. On that basis it will reach a view on whether Ofsted's response was fair and reasonable, including on the inspection process and the grades awarded.

For parents the practical point is simple: a school's published report card, the document families compare when applying, is no longer necessarily final. Depending on the outcome of a complaint it can be set aside and the inspection redone.

Who can use the ICR, and when?

The pilot covers state-funded schools that have complained about an inspection. A school can contact the ICR once two things have happened: Ofsted's internal complaints process has concluded, and the school's inspection report card has been published.

The pilot begins shortly and runs through the 2026/27 academic year. It will also apply to any ongoing complaints raised by schools about an inspection this term.

What can the ICR actually do?

The ICR reports its findings and recommendations back both to the complainant and to His Majesty's Chief Inspector (HMCI). If it finds that mistakes were made, or that Ofsted did not act fairly and reasonably, it can recommend that Ofsted looks at the complaint again, including where it relates to the inspection process.

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HMCI has committed to personally consider and respond to every ICR recommendation. Where a recommendation concerns a grading decision, HMCI can set aside the published report card and arrange for a new inspection as soon as possible. The result is not guaranteed either way: the same or different grades could be awarded, because under the law only the Chief Inspector, delegated through Ofsted's inspectors, can make grading decisions.

How does complaining about an inspection work now?

The process Ofsted sets out in the release runs as follows. It first aims to resolve concerns during the inspection itself, or shortly afterwards, through professional dialogue with school leaders. If that fails, the school submits a formal complaint about the inspection process, or challenges the findings, on receipt of the draft report.

Publication of the report card is paused while the complaint is investigated. Investigations are completed by experienced His Majesty's Inspectors from another Ofsted region, for independence, and signed off by a Senior HMI. The school receives a complaint outcome letter, and the final report card is published five working days later. If the school is still dissatisfied it can go to ICASO — but the report card is not withdrawn.

Where does this reform come from?

The pilot continues a series of changes introduced by Chief Inspector Sir Martyn Oliver after he took up the post in 2024: a provider helpline, a national complaints hub, and new panels including external sector and trade union representatives that scrutinise a sample of recently closed complaints.

Ofsted attributes the pilot directly to recommendations from two independent pieces of work: Dame Christine Gilbert's 'Independent learning review for Ofsted' and Sinead McBrearty's 'Independent wellbeing impact assessment of the revised Ofsted framework'.

The organisation running the reviews must be a full member of the Ombudsman Association and operate strictly to its standards for case handling and impartiality. The contract is being awarded by the Department for Education. After the pilot, Ofsted will decide whether to extend the arrangements across the other remits it inspects — which go well beyond schools.