Ofsted careers evidence in 2026: what to have ready

What changed, from the official documents

• The renewed education inspection framework applies to inspections from 10 November 2025. It replaced the school inspection handbook with an inspection toolkit and operating guides.
• Report cards replace single overall judgements. Inspectors grade several areas on a five-point scale: urgent improvement, needs attention, expected standard, strong standard and exceptional.
• On 12 June 2026 Ofsted published new versions of the school inspection toolkit and operating guides for use from September 2026, with a summary of changes. A further update followed on 28 August 2026.

We have not reproduced the toolkit's wording on careers here. Read the current toolkit for your setting (schools or further education and skills) and its summary of changes before an inspection.

Careers evidence to have ready

These follow from statutory careers guidance and the Gatsby Benchmarks, which inspectors can use when looking at careers provision.

1. Your published careers programme and the name of your Careers Leader (Benchmark 1).
2. Records of each learner's careers activities and the advice they received (Benchmark 3).
3. Employer encounters and experiences of workplaces per learner, with gaps identified (Benchmarks 5 and 6).
4. Evidence that technical education and apprenticeship providers have had access to learners (Benchmark 7).
5. Guidance interviews with a qualified adviser (Benchmark 8).
6. Destination data, including how disadvantaged and SEND learners fare.

Where Shine fits

Shine's partner dashboard produces a governor and Ofsted PDF from learner-logged activities, verification, follow-ups and destination check-ins. It does not replace your programme or your adviser. See Shine for Careers Leaders.