The new Further education and skills operating guide, effective from November 2025, introduces a pivotal moment in the inspection process: the planning call.
This isn't just a logistical check-in for your FE provision; it's a "meaningful and professional conversation" that sets the tone for the entire inspection. Far from being a test, this call is your first and best opportunity to lead the narrative and showcase the great work you and your teams are already doing.
The new operating guide is clear: inspectors are there to:
- "celebrate what leaders have identified as strengths"
- "validate the priorities leaders have identified for improvement"
This is a powerful shift for the FE sector. Ofsted is actively inviting you to present your own clear, evidence-based self-evaluation. It’s an opportunity to turn the inspection into a professional dialogue that validates your ongoing improvement journey.
The Key Questions of the Planning Call
During this call, inspectors will want to understand your own evaluation of your provision. They will explore:
- "leaders' evaluation of the provider's current strengths and successes"
- "their priorities for improvement"
- "...including where they believe they currently sit in terms of the 5-point grading scale"
The key challenge for FE leaders is how to present this information clearly, confidently, and coherently in a single conversation. How do you articulate your strengths, priorities, and self-assessed grades, all while having the evidence at your fingertips?
A Supportive Tool for a Confident Conversation
This new, transparent approach is exactly what iAbacus was designed to support. It provides a simple, visual, and connected way to structure your FE self-evaluation, making you ready for the planning call every day, not just during an inspection window.
We’ve already aligned our FE Self-Evaluation and Improvement Plan template with the new 58-page toolkit, giving you the perfect framework to lead the conversation.
Here’s how iAbacus empowers you during the planning call:
1. When they ask... "Where do you believe you sit on the 5-point grading scale?"
- Your Confident Answer: You can immediately point to your live iAbacus dashboard. The visual "bead positions" (using the new 5-point scale) show exactly where you’ve judged your provision. It’s not a guess; it’s a considered judgement, clearly displayed.
- For example: "We've rated ourselves as 'Strong standard' in Leadership, and you can see our 'bead' for Achievement is at 'Needs attention,' which is our key priority."
2. When they ask... "What are your strengths and priorities?"
- Your Confident Answer: The iAbacus dashboard provides an instant, top-level overview. Strengths (green and blue beads) and priorities (red and amber beads) are immediately visible, allowing you to guide the inspector's focus.
- For example: "As you can see, our strengths are clearly in Safeguarding and Inclusion. By clicking on our priority, 'Achievement,' I can share our detailed analysis."
3. When they ask... "What are you doing about your priorities?"
- Your Confident Answer: This is where iAbacus truly connects the dots. Your Quality Improvement Plan (QIP) is not a separate document; it's built directly into your self-evaluation.
- For example: "If we look at the 'Analyse Factors' tab for 'Achievement,' you can see our full diagnosis. This flows directly into our 'Plan Actions' tab, which is our live QIP, detailing the steps we're taking, who is responsible, and the impact we expect."
From Whole-Provider to Provision-Type, All in One Place
The new framework also requires FE leaders to hold a "whole-provider" view while also evaluating individual "provision-types" (like apprenticeships, 16-19 study programmes, or adult learning).
iAbacus makes this simple. Your Head of Apprenticeships and Head of Adult Learning can have their own evaluations, which you can then instantly "Overlay" or "Stack" as a senior leader. This gives you a single, panoramic view to spot patterns, share best practices, and lead with a complete picture.
Lead Your FE Inspection, Don't Just Prepare for It
The 2025 Ofsted framework is an opportunity to adopt a smarter, more continuous, and more supportive improvement process for your college or provision. iAbacus provides the tool to give you and your team the clarity and confidence to lead the professional dialogue, starting with that all-important planning call.
Ready to see the new FE & Skills template in action?
Book a quick, 20-minute walkthrough focused specifically on how iAbacus meets the new 2025 framework.
