OEAS and Ofsted both play an important part in the quality assurance of full-time online education in England, though they have different responsibilities.
The Online Education Accreditation Scheme, known as OEAS, is run by the Department for Education. Ofsted acts as the scheme’s independent quality assurance body by carrying out suitability checks and visiting providers to assess whether they meet the relevant online education standards.
Ofsted does not award OEAS accreditation. It records its findings in a published report, which the Department for Education uses when deciding whether to accredit an online provider.
What Is OEAS?
OEAS is a voluntary, non-statutory accreditation scheme for eligible providers of full-time online education in England.
The Department for Education introduced the scheme to reassure children, parents, schools and local authorities about the quality of education and safeguarding arrangements offered by online providers. It also encourages eligible providers to meet consistent standards across their education and support services.
The scheme is intended for providers that:
- Operate online on a permanent basis.
- Deliver a full curriculum or represent a child’s main source of education.
- Have at least one full-time pupil of compulsory school age based in England.
- Have a physical presence in England.
- Are registered with Companies House or the Charity Commission.
OEAS is therefore not designed for every tutoring website, revision platform or provider of occasional remote lessons. It focuses on settings that may represent all or a substantial part of a child’s formal education.
You can read more about the scheme and Nisai’s status on our OEAS Accreditation page.
What Is Ofsted’s Role in OEAS?
Ofsted is the quality assurance body appointed by the Department for Education for the scheme.
Its role includes:
- Completing suitability checks on those responsible for managing the provider.
- Visiting providers that have applied for accreditation.
- Assessing whether the applicable online education standards are met.
- Carrying out additional visits where the Department for Education has received information that raises a concern.
- Publishing a report explaining which standards were met and which were not met.
Ofsted inspectors may review policies, safeguarding records, curriculum plans and information about leadership. They can also observe live teaching, speak with pupils and staff, and consider feedback from parents, carers and commissioners.
This independent review gives the Department for Education evidence about how the provider operates in practice.
Who Awards OEAS Accreditation?
The Department for Education awards OEAS accreditation.
The process begins when an eligible provider submits an application to the Department. Once eligibility has been checked, the application is passed to Ofsted.
Ofsted then completes its suitability checks and, where those checks are satisfactory, arranges an accreditation visit. After the visit, Ofsted publishes a report of its findings. The Department for Education considers that report and any other relevant evidence before deciding whether accreditation should be awarded.
This distinction is important. A provider may accurately say that it has undergone an Ofsted accreditation visit, though the resulting accreditation is awarded by the Department for Education.
Is an OEAS Visit the Same as a Standard Ofsted School Inspection?
No. An OEAS accreditation visit is different from a routine inspection of a registered school.
During an OEAS visit, inspectors assess whether the online provider meets the applicable standards established for online education. Ofsted does not give the provider a graded judgement such as “good” or “outstanding” through this process.
Instead, the published report records whether each relevant standard has been met. The report provides supporting detail about inspectors’ findings across the provider’s education, safeguarding, personal development and leadership arrangements.
This does not make the process less detailed. It reflects the specific purpose of the visit, which is to inform the Department for Education’s accreditation decision.
What Does an OEAS Accreditation Visit Assess?
An accreditation visit normally lasts two days and is completed by one or two inspectors. The inspection team considers how the online setting meets standards across several connected areas.
These include:
- The quality and breadth of the curriculum.
- Teaching, assessment and learner progress.
- Personal development and pupil welfare.
- Safeguarding and online safety.
- Staff and proprietor suitability.
- Leadership and management.
- Information provided to parents and commissioners.
- Complaints procedures.
Inspectors focus on the experience of children receiving education through the provider. They consider whether pupils receive appropriate teaching, how staff identify and respond to safeguarding concerns, and whether leaders understand the strengths and areas for improvement within the provision.
Families and commissioners should still look closely at a provider’s curriculum and delivery model. Our online school curriculum explains the subjects, qualifications and pathways available through Nisai.
What Happens After an Accreditation Visit?
Ofsted prepares a draft report following the visit and gives the provider an opportunity to comment on factual accuracy and the inspection process. A final report is then published.
Reports are published even if accreditation is refused or the provider later withdraws its application. If the application succeeds, the provider is formally accredited by the Department for Education and added to the Get Information About Schools register.
The public report allows parents, schools and local authorities to review the evidence behind the accreditation rather than relying solely on a badge or statement on the provider’s website.
Nisai makes its inspection and certification documents available through our Reports and Certifications.
How Long Does OEAS Accreditation Last?
Providers that meet all the applicable standards are normally accredited for three years.
To retain accreditation beyond that period, a provider must apply again. Ofsted then carries out new suitability checks and another accreditation visit. The Department for Education makes a fresh decision using the resulting evidence.
The scheme also allows the Department to commission an additional visit during the accreditation period where a complaint or other information raises a concern, particularly in relation to safeguarding.
Accreditation should therefore be viewed as an ongoing responsibility rather than a one-off award.
Why Does the Difference Between OEAS and Ofsted Matter?
Understanding the two roles helps parents and commissioners interpret accreditation claims correctly.
When reviewing an online education provider, it is worth checking:
- Whether the provider is accredited by the Department for Education.
- Whether an Ofsted accreditation report has been published.
- When the accreditation visit took place.
- Whether the report relates to the organisation currently delivering the provision.
- What inspectors found about education, safeguarding and leadership.
- Whether the provider appears on the Get Information About Schools register.
Accreditation is an important quality signal. It does not remove the need to consider whether the provider’s curriculum, teaching approach and learner support are suitable for an individual child.
Schools and councils can learn more about working with Nisai through our online education support for schools and local authorities.
What Does Nisai’s OEAS Accreditation Mean?
Nisai Virtual Academy has been accredited by the Department for Education under OEAS following an Ofsted accreditation visit.
The published report confirmed:
“Nisai Virtual Academy Limited meets all the minimum standards for online education.”
Inspectors recognised strengths across teaching, curriculum, safeguarding, learner relationships and personal development. The report also found that pupils’ attitudes towards learning improve during their time with Nisai and that a large majority experience positive outcomes.
This independent assessment sits alongside the information families and commissioners can find about our online school, curriculum and learner support.
Read More About Nisai’s OEAS Accreditation
Our OEAS Accreditation explains what inspectors recognised within Nisai’s online provision and why the accreditation matters to families, schools and local authorities.
You can also read our announcement about Nisai being awarded Department for Education OEAS accreditation.
