The Online Education Accreditation Scheme (OEAS) is the Department for Education’s voluntary scheme for accrediting full-time online education providers for school-age children in England. Ofsted visits each applicant and reports against the online education standards, and the DfE then decides whether to accredit. Accreditation lasts three years.
OEAS key facts
| Run by | The Department for Education, which makes every decision |
|---|---|
| Quality assured by | Ofsted |
| Open to | Full-time online providers teaching pupils of compulsory school age who live in England |
| Status | Voluntary |
| Lasts | Three years, then the provider reapplies |
| Cost | The provider pays Ofsted’s fees |
| Where to check | Get Information about Schools |
What the scheme does not cover
- School registration. Instead, providers that teach pupils in person register as independent schools instead.
- Part-time provision and tutoring. Likewise, neither can apply.
- Pupils outside England. Similarly, accreditation covers pupils who live in England only.
- An overall grade. Ofsted only reports which standards are met. As a result, there is no “good” or “outstanding”.
- Monitoring between visits. The DfE says accreditation is “not intended to operate as a regulatory regime” (DfE consultation, 2026).
Who can apply for OEAS accreditation?
A provider must:
- teach online, on a permanent basis
- offer a full curriculum, or be the child’s main source of education
- have at least one full-time pupil of compulsory school age who lives in England
- have a physical base in England that can host a two-day visit
- be registered with Companies House or the Charity Commission
How does OEAS accreditation work?
- Application. First, the provider applies to the DfE and accepts the scheme’s terms and conditions.
- Eligibility check. Next, the DfE assigns a Unique Reference Number (URN) and commissions Ofsted.
- Suitability checks. Then Ofsted checks the people who run the provider.
- Visit. After that, Ofsted carries out a two-day accreditation visit.
- Report. Afterwards, Ofsted publishes which standards are met and which are not.
- Decision. Finally, the DfE decides whether to accredit.
- Review. If it disagrees, the provider can ask for a review within ten working days.
Applications most often stall on curriculum gaps such as PE, safeguarding policies not written for an online setting, unclear ownership or no real base in England (Ofsted’s tips for applicants).
What are the OEAS standards?
The online education standards have eight sections. In other words, providers must meet them at all times, not only during a visit.
- Quality of education: curriculum
- Quality of education: teaching
- Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils
- Welfare, health and safety of pupils
- Suitability of staff, supply staff and proprietors
- Provision of information
- Manner in which complaints are handled
- Quality of leadership and management
How much does accreditation cost, and how long does it last?
The provider pays Ofsted for the suitability checks and the visit, at the rates in Annex B of the accreditation visits handbook. However, fees are not refunded if an application is withdrawn.
Accreditation lasts three years, so providers reapply four to six months before it expires. Also, the DfE can withdraw it at any time if a provider stops meeting the standards.
How to check if an online school is OEAS accredited
- First, search the provider on Get Information about Schools. An accredited provider shows “Establishment accredited: Yes”, with the start and expiry dates.
- Next, read its latest report on the Ofsted reports website.
- Then check that the accreditation belongs to the organisation you are dealing with, not a partner or another brand.
- Finally, look for the DfE accreditation logo shown with an accreditation number.
What the scheme means for local authorities and parents
Local authorities. The DfE recommends accredited providers for new full-time online placements wherever possible (how the scheme works). However, accreditation does not replace an assessment of each child’s needs, and placements should be reviewed regularly.
Parents. Before enrolling, check the provider on Get Information about Schools and read its Ofsted report. Complaints go to the provider first. After that, the DfE only considers complaints about accredited providers.
OEAS FAQs
No. The scheme is voluntary. However, a 2026 DfE consultation asks whether it should become a requirement for online providers used as alternative provision.
No. Ofsted registers and inspects schools that teach in person. Under the OEAS, however, Ofsted visits online providers and reports to the DfE, which makes the accreditation decision.
17 providers held OEAS accreditation on 31 August 2026, according to Ofsted’s management information.
To give parents, local authorities and schools an external check on the quality of education and safeguarding at online providers. The DfE consulted on the scheme in 2020 and then opened it to applications in 2023.
No. Online schools that also teach pupils abroad are accredited for their pupils who live in England only.
Once per accreditation, which lasts three years. In addition, the DfE can ask Ofsted for an extra visit at any time, for example after a complaint.
Yes. In fact, Sophia was the first online provider accredited under the scheme, in October 2023. See our accreditation.
