How to talk confidently about wellbeing during an Ofsted inspection

What the 2025 framework means for leaders - and how to feel prepared

Wellbeing has always been part of school life. What changes from November 2025 is not that it suddenly matters, but that it now sits more clearly within inspection conversations. With wellbeing explicitly included within the Personal Development and Wellbeing judgement, and inspectors focusing on whether pupils achieve, belong and thrive, leaders are being asked to explain how their existing systems support pupils to feel safe, valued and able to flourish.

For many schools, this feels like recognition of work that is already well established. It also raises a practical question:

"How do we explain our approach to wellbeing, and the difference it makes for pupils, in a way that is clear, confident and grounded in what we actually do?"

1. Start with the core principles inspectors are using 

The School Inspection Operating Guide makes clear that inspectors consider pupils’ experiences through three broad ideas:

• Achieve – academically and personally
• Belong – feeling part of the school community, valued and able to contribute
• Thrive – being kept safe, supported and able to flourish, whatever their starting point

These principles give leaders and inspectors a shared reference point. More importantly, they shift the conversation away from policies and towards pupils’ lived experiences. The focus is not on what a school intends to do, but on what pupils experience day to day.

2. Remember where inspectors gather evidence from 

It can be tempting to assume that wellbeing needs to be demonstrated through paperwork. The operating guide suggests otherwise. Inspectors gather evidence primarily from:

• What they see in classrooms and around the school
• What they hear in conversations with staff, pupils, parents and leaders
• How systems operate in practice when pupils need support

Preparation, therefore, isn't about producing additional documentation. It's about ensuring leaders and staff can explain how existing systems work, why they are in place, and what difference they make for pupils.

3. Focus on the systems that help pupils thrive 

Wellbeing can feel wide-ranging, but inspection conversations tend to focus on whether systems work for pupils who need them most.

Useful questions to reflect on include:

• How do adults notice when a pupil’s behaviour, engagement or presentation changes from what is typical for them?
• What happens once that change is noticed?
• How do pupils know who they can go to if they are worried or struggling?
• How do leaders know whether these systems are helping pupils feel safer, more settled or more able to engage in learning?

Staff don't need set scripts, but they do need time to practise explaining this clearly. Having opportunities to talk through real examples helps staff feel more confident when describing how the school’s approach works and what difference it has made.

4. Share real examples and be clear about the impact

General statements about wellbeing are rarely helpful in inspection. What brings an approach to life are specific examples that show what changed as a result.

For example:

• A member of staff noticed a pupil withdrawing from peers and lessons. Early support was put in place, which prevented further escalation and helped attendance recover.
• Changes to lunchtime routines reduced incidents and supported more positive peer relationships.
• Feedback from pupil voice activities led to adjustments in provision, and pupils reported feeling more listened to and understood.
• Additional transition support for pupils with SEND reduced anxiety and supported a smoother start in new settings.

These examples demonstrate not just what the school offers, but how those actions improve pupils’ experiences.

5. Be ready to explain how you know what's working

Inspectors will explore how leaders understand the impact of their approach over time. This might include:

• Where responsibility for wellbeing sits and how this oversight has led to improvement
• How concerns are shared between staff and how quickly support follows
• How early help is used to prevent issues from escalating
• How leaders check whether pupils feel safe, connected and able to engage, and how this information shapes next steps

The emphasis here is not on aspiration or intent, but on what has improved as a result of the support put in place.

6. Tools can help you talk about your work with clarity 

Having a structured way to look at wellbeing can help leaders explain patterns and changes over time.

Tools such as My Thrive Scan™ can support schools to identify emerging needs, track trends across year groups and consider whether actions taken are having the intended effect. Used alongside professional judgement, this kind of insight can help leaders explain how decisions have been made and what difference those decisions have had for pupils.

7. Keep strategy and impact at the centre

Wellbeing under the 2025 framework is not about producing additional evidence or rehearsing the “right” answers. It is about being able to explain a well-understood strategy and the impact it has on pupils’ experiences of school. When leaders and staff understand that strategy well enough to explain it confidently, inspection conversations are clearer, more grounded and easier to navigate.