Four outstanding, one requires improvement: Ofsted's report on military training
What happened
Most people know Ofsted for inspecting schools and nurseries. Fewer know that it also inspects Armed Forces initial training, on behalf of the Ministry of Defence, looking specifically at welfare and duty of care. That matters because a lot of people in initial training are very young. Recruits can join the Armed Forces at 16, which makes the Ministry of Defence one of the largest employers of under-18s in the country. The 2025 to 2026 report was published on 22 September 2026. It covers 10 Regular training establishments, plus 6 University Royal Naval Units and their headquarters. The grades were: - 4 establishments rated outstanding - 6 rated good - 1 University Royal Naval Unit rated requires improvement On training and care, the findings were positive. Inspectors found trainees across all services received strong training and welfare support. Staff were described as highly expert and committed to trainees' personal development. Achievement rates were consistently high, with most trainees passing their assessments at the first attempt. The criticisms were concentrated elsewhere: buildings, kit, and the gaps between training phases.
Why this matters
A training establishment is not just a place of instruction. For a 16 or 17 year old it is also home, often the first time away from family, in an environment designed to be demanding. Duty of care in that setting carries more weight than in a school where pupils go home at four o'clock. That is why Ofsted looks at welfare here rather than only at whether the training works. The finding about accommodation is the one that has recurred over many years of these reports. Defence accommodation has been criticised repeatedly, and the report describes ongoing defects and delays in getting repairs done. The Chief Inspector's comment captures the shape of it: 'Where recent refurbishments and repairs had taken place, this had had a positive impact on trainees, but ongoing issues frustrate trainees and disrupt their routines.' That is a useful sentence, because it says the fix works. The problem is not that nobody knows what to do. It is that repairs are not happening fast enough. The Minister described accommodation standards as a priority.
What the evidence actually says
Four specific problems were identified, and it is worth listing them plainly rather than summarising them away. First, infrastructure and accommodation, with ongoing defects and repair delays. Second, kit that does not fit. Inspectors found that female trainees and smaller trainees continue to lack properly fitting equipment. This is not a comfort issue. Body armour, boots and load-carrying equipment that fits badly increases injury risk, and injury is one of the main reasons people drop out of initial training. The word 'continue' in the report is doing a lot of work; this is not a new finding. Third, holdover. This is the period when a trainee has finished one phase of training and is waiting for the next to begin. Inspectors found the quality of activity during holdover was inconsistent. Waiting around with little structure is a known risk point for young people's wellbeing and for attrition. Fourth, limited understanding of radicalisation risks among some trainees. This is about awareness and education rather than any finding of a specific incident. Set against that, the core judgement is strongly positive. Ten of eleven inspected establishments were good or outstanding, and the criticism of teaching and pastoral staff is essentially absent. The pattern is of good people working in buildings and with equipment that are not good enough. One limitation: this report covers initial training only. It does not assess what happens to personnel afterwards.
Practical advice
If you have a young person considering joining the Armed Forces, the report is publicly available on gov.uk and free to read. It is more informative than any recruitment material, because it is written by an inspector with no interest in recruitment numbers. Specific questions worth asking at a recruitment office, based on the findings: what is the accommodation like at the establishment they would attend, has it been refurbished recently, how is kit fitted and what happens if it does not fit, and what is the typical holdover period between phases and what happens during it. Under-18s in the Armed Forces have additional protections, including a right to discharge within a defined period. It is reasonable to ask about that directly. If you are a parent, you can ask to visit. Establishments hold family days and open events. If you or someone you know is in training and struggling, every establishment has a welfare chain, and the charities SSAFA and the Royal British Legion support serving personnel as well as veterans. Talking to someone outside the chain of command is allowed and is not a failure. And if you are simply interested in how public inspection works, this report is a good example of an inspectorate praising people and criticising the system they work in, which is often the most useful thing an inspection can do.
What to know
Ofsted's 2025 to 2026 report on welfare and duty of care in Armed Forces initial training, published 22 September 2026, inspected 10 Regular training establishments and 6 University Royal Naval Units. Four were outstanding, six were good, and one University Royal Naval Unit requires improvement. Training quality, staff expertise and pastoral care were praised, and achievement rates were high. The problems were accommodation defects and slow repairs, kit that does not fit female and smaller trainees, inconsistent activity during holdover between training phases, and limited trainee understanding of radicalisation risks. Recent refurbishments were found to work where they had happened. The issue is pace, not knowledge. Sources: Ofsted and Ministry of Defence, 'Welfare and duty of care in Armed Forces initial training 2025 to 2026', 22 September 2026, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/welfare-and-duty-of-care-in-armed-forces-initial-training/welfare-and-duty-of-care-in-armed-forces-initial-training-2025-to-2026 ; Ofsted, https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted ; SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, https://www.ssafa.org.uk/ This article is for general information and does not replace advice from a doctor, pharmacist or other qualified healthcare professional.
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