Ofsted Case Sampling: What School Leaders Need to Know

Case sampling is one of the most significant changes in the 2025 Ofsted framework. If you're feeling uncertain about what it involves or how to prepare, you're not alone. This blog breaks down the essentials to help you understand what case sampling is, how it works, and what it means for your school.

What Is Case Sampling?

Case sampling is a method where inspectors follow the journey of individual pupils throughout the inspection. Rather than only looking at subject coverage or teaching quality in isolation, inspectors track specific children to understand their full experience of school life. This is a significant change from the previous deep dive approach.

While case sampling primarily informs the Inclusion judgement, evidence gathered feeds into all evaluation areas because inclusive practice is now threaded throughout the entire framework.

How Are Pupils Selected?

Typically, inspectors will select around six pupils to track across the two-day inspection. 

Before the inspection, you'll prepare a list of pupils who might be selected for case sampling. This should include:

• Pupils with SEND (across all four broad areas of need)
• Disadvantaged pupils
• Pupils with English as an additional language
• Any other pupils facing barriers to learning

You might also identify additional groups specific to your context, such as pupils who are young carers or those experiencing safeguarding concerns.

During the Ofsted planning phone call (which can last up to 90 minutes), you'll discuss this list with inspectors and agree together which pupils will be sampled. Inspectors may add pupils during the inspection if they identify additional children whose experiences would be informative.

What Does Case Sampling Look Like in Practice?

Case sampling draws on monitoring activities you already do as a school leader but applies them with a specific lens, following individual pupils across contexts.

Here's what inspectors might do when tracking a case sample pupil:

• Observe the pupil during lessons and learning walks
• Review their work, understanding that work will look different for different pupils depending on their needs
• Speak with the pupil about their experience, their learning and how they feel about school
• Talk to staff who support the pupil (class teachers, teaching assistants, SENDCo)
• Review existing records and documentation (not specially prepared materials)
• Speak with parents or carers about their child's experience

How Does This Fit With Existing Monitoring?

Case sampling is a focused application of the good monitoring practice you already use. Think of your regular approaches to:

• Tracking pupil progress
• Monitoring the quality of support for vulnerable learners
• Evaluating whether interventions are effective
• Understanding pupil voice

Case sampling does the same thing, but follows individual pupils across different contexts to build a complete picture. If you're already monitoring inclusion effectively, you're already doing much of what case sampling requires.

We Are Due Ofsted Soon - What Do I Need to Know?

We have a range of supportive materials, such as our Ofsted Phone Call Preparation Pack, to help guide you through the Ofsted Inspection process in 2025-26.

We also have a range of helpful blogs:

• The Role of the Nominee during Ofsted Inspections
• Navigating the Ofsted Phone Call
• Inspection Framework Changes