diff --git a/pipeline/transform/models/marts/dim_school.sql b/pipeline/transform/models/marts/dim_school.sql
index 3b47d47..fba0296 100644
--- a/pipeline/transform/models/marts/dim_school.sql
+++ b/pipeline/transform/models/marts/dim_school.sql
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 -- Mart: Canonical school dimension — one row per active URN
 
+-- int_ofsted_latest is only ref()'d inside a conditional block below (it may not
+-- exist before the Ofsted pipeline first runs), so declare the dependency
+-- explicitly for dbt's DAG.
+-- depends_on: {{ ref('int_ofsted_latest') }}
+
 with schools as (
     select * from {{ ref('stg_gias_establishments') }}
 )