Ofsted inspects schools in England typically every four years for those previously judged "good" or "outstanding." These inspections under section 8 of the Education Act 2005 are ungraded but check whether the school is maintaining standards. If inspectors find significant changes, they may conduct a full graded inspection (section 5) within one to two years or immediately. Schools rated "requires improvement" must have a full graded inspection within 30 months. Schools judged "inadequate" are placed under special measures and monitored differently. New schools are usually inspected within their first three years, often by the third year. Inspections can happen any time during the school year from five school days after the autumn term begins, but inspections do not happen during holidays. Ofsted can also inspect schools at any time if there are concerns about safety or standards, beyond the routine cycle. Additionally, outstanding schools lost their inspection exemption in November 2020 and must be inspected by August 2026 if not already inspected in recent years. The government's directive also requires that no state-funded school goes uninspected for more than a decade, which has added to the inspection schedule. Overall, the inspection frequency depends on the school's previous rating, with more frequent checks for schools needing improvement or with safety concerns and less frequent checks (around every four years) for higher-rated schools maintaining standards.