Ofsted evaluation areas: what inspectors look at in each one

Reviewed by Ben Parnell, former headteacher and trust chief executive. Last reviewed 25 September 2026.

An Ofsted report card grades a school on six evaluation areas that apply to every school: inclusion, curriculum and teaching, achievement, attendance and behaviour, personal development and wellbeing, and leadership and governance. Early years and post-16 provision are graded as well where a school has them, so some schools receive up to eight grades. Safeguarding is judged separately as met or not met. Below, each area in turn: what it covers, the evidence inspectors gather, what strong looks like and the common pitfalls.

It draws on the state-funded school inspection toolkit (updated June 2026, for inspections from 7 September 2026) and the operating guide for inspectors.

How do the evaluation areas fit together?

Each area has its own toolkit section, with evidence prompts and grading standards for each point on the five-point scale. Inspectors plan from the expected standard. They check first whether every expected standard is met securely, then whether every strong standard is met, and only then look for the additional features of exceptional practice. One gap at a level means that grade cannot be given. The grades guide explains the scale in full.

Two threads run through every area. The first is a named set of pupils: disadvantaged pupils, pupils with SEND, pupils known or previously known to children's social care, and pupils facing other barriers to their learning or wellbeing. The second is leadership. The operating guide names leadership, inclusion and an open, positive safeguarding culture as key areas of focus. In the grading meeting, leadership and governance is typically graded last, after the other areas.

What does Ofsted look for in safeguarding?

Safeguarding asks whether the school has an open and positive safeguarding culture that puts pupils' interests first, and whether leaders and governors take an effective, whole-school approach. It is graded met or not met, not on the five-point scale. It is met only when every safeguarding standard is met and none of the not met descriptors apply.

On evidence, the lead inspector reviews the single central record early on day 1 and meets the designated safeguarding lead to review a sample of casework, typically doing this personally rather than delegating it. Inspectors review allegations about adults with the headteacher, ask the chair or a trustee how concerns about the headteacher would be handled, and talk with pupils about whether they feel safe and know who to go to.

A common pitfall is losing track of pupils who are not on site. Safeguarding is likely to be not met if leaders are not clear where those pupils are or cannot show they have taken steps to keep them safe, including pupils in unregistered or unmonitored alternative provision. Minor issues, such as small administrative errors in paperwork, can be put right during the inspection, and safeguarding can still be met if leaders have taken the necessary steps to resolve them. The safeguarding guide covers this area in more depth.

What does the inclusion evaluation area cover?

Inclusion looks at how leaders and staff identify and support the named groups above. The toolkit says the most effective inclusion strategy starts with everyday high-quality inclusive teaching.

Evidence comes largely from case sampling. The initial sample is drawn from the named groups, including pupils with SEND and especially those with an EHC plan, and inspectors follow them through learning walks, their work, conversations with them and with staff who know them well. Inspectors also look at whether the school has published an inclusion strategy on its website setting out how its funding, including the inclusive mainstream fund, will meet its cohort's needs.

At the expected standard, leaders identify needs quickly and accurately, use the graduated approach so that needs are generally met, and give the SENCo, where relevant, enough authority in the leadership structure to make a difference. The strong standard adds rigorous monitoring, swift adjustment of strategies, and decisions grounded in well-analysed quantitative and qualitative data. A frequent weakness is a policy that describes support well but gives no picture of whether it is working for individual pupils. See the inclusion guide.

What do inspectors look for in curriculum and teaching?

This area asks whether leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum for all pupils, whether it is taught well across subjects, year groups and key stages, and whether pupils build strong foundations in communication and language, reading, writing and mathematics. The curriculum must cover the statutory basic curriculum and be at least as ambitious in breadth and depth as the national curriculum, whether the school has built, adopted or adapted it.

Learning walks focus particularly on curriculum and teaching and on achievement. In primary schools they start with foundations: inspectors must listen to some lower-attaining pupils read an unfamiliar book to a familiar adult and visit phonics and reading lessons. In secondary and specialist schools, learning walks start with a group of subjects agreed on the planning call. Ofsted does not grade individual lessons or teachers and does not ask for lesson plans. Subject leaders can prepare with our deep dive questions guide.

The strong standard asks for consistently high quality across subjects and year groups, with leaders who understand the differences between subjects in detail. A frequent pitfall is uneven implementation: a well-designed curriculum that is taught inconsistently is a needs attention indicator. If a mainstream school is graded below the expected standard here or in achievement and pupils spend less than 32.5 hours a week in school, the report card may say whether more time could improve the grade.

How is achievement judged?

Achievement covers attainment and progress in national tests and examinations where they exist, and the progress pupils make across the whole curriculum from their starting points. Inspectors use published data, including comparisons with similar schools, as a starting point for discussion, allowing for small cohorts and year groups without published results.

Inspectors will not review internal data, although they may discuss how leaders use it. Schools do not need to provide predictions or pupil-tracking information. On-site evidence comes from learning walks, pupils' work, discussions with pupils and case sampling, with particular care taken over the named groups.

At the expected standard, results are typically broadly in line with national averages, including for disadvantaged pupils, and any gaps in foundational knowledge are closing quickly. The strong standard typically means above-average outcomes over time, including for disadvantaged pupils. The pitfall to avoid is building the conversation around internal tracking spreadsheets. Talk instead about what the published picture shows, what it misses and what pupils' work shows.

What do inspectors check in attendance and behaviour?

This area looks at whether leaders create a calm, orderly, respectful and positive environment, and at the impact of the school's work on the attendance, behaviour and attitudes of all pupils. The official name is attendance and behaviour, and it includes bullying, mobile phone expectations and attitudes to learning.

Schools must make an up-to-date analysis of attendance for all groups available by 8am on day 1, along with records of suspensions, exclusions, internal isolation, bullying and discriminatory incidents, restrictive physical intervention and pupils taken off roll. Inspectors are told not to audit paperwork but to look at what leaders learn from their own analysis.

At the expected standard, overall attendance is broadly in line with national averages or improving over time, and pupils generally behave well. At the strong standard, leaders' actions result in high attendance or rapid and notable improvement, and pupils rarely need reminding about positive behaviour. Watch for part-time timetables with no defined end point, and for anything that could look like off-rolling. More detail is in the attendance and behaviour guide.

What falls under personal development and wellbeing?

This area covers the personal development programme across the taught curriculum and wider opportunities, pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, fundamental British values, relationships and sex education, careers education and pastoral support. Enrichment is considered with regard to the Enrichment Framework where it applies.

The expected standard includes a well-taught RHE or RSHE programme, careers education that is making steady progress towards the Gatsby Benchmarks, effective pastoral support, and a programme that is an entitlement for every pupil. Leaders are expected to track participation and help the named groups take part. The strong standard asks for clear evidence that the programme has an impact on pupils' outcomes and experiences.

The usual pitfall is a long list of clubs and trips with no record of which pupils attend.

How are early years and post-16 graded?

All the evaluation areas apply to early years and post-16 provision, and inspectors also grade each one separately as a whole. Maintained nursery schools do not receive a separate early years grade.

In early years, inspectors look at whether the EYFS statutory requirements are met, including statutory guidance on safe sleeping and on food preparation and provision, and at the curriculum, teaching and communication and language. At the expected standard, the proportion of children reaching a good level of development is typically broadly in line with national averages. Inspectors also consider whether staff prioritise interacting with children rather than spending their time observing, recording and compiling evidence.

For post-16, inspectors consider whether students follow a suitable 16 to 19 study programme in line with DfE guidance, including English and mathematics where needed, work experience and careers guidance, and where students go next. Where published data is not available, leaders need to show that students typically make appropriate progress from their starting points.

What does leadership and governance cover?

This area considers whether leaders and those responsible for governance collectively make sure the school's provision lets every pupil thrive.

In an academy, inspectors always meet the chair of trustees or their delegate and as many trustees as are available, with at least part of the meeting held without the CEO. If no trustees were available, this must be recorded in the report card. Inspectors also check whether a local governing body has delegated responsibilities or is purely advisory. The governor questions guide and the trust leaders guide cover those meetings.

At the expected standard, leaders understand their context and priorities and deal quickly with any area that falls short. A professional learning programme that is broad but generic, with few chances for collaboration or feedback, is a needs attention indicator. Leadership and governance matters beyond its own grade, because its urgent improvement indicators on capacity to improve help decide whether a school in a category of concern is placed in special measures rather than requiring significant improvement. See the leadership and governance guide.

How should you prepare evidence against the areas?

You do not need a written self-evaluation, but you will be asked on the planning call where you think the school sits on the five-point scale in each area. A short, honest view per area, with the evidence you would point an inspector towards, is enough. Our self-evaluation guide and inspection checklist set out how to build that without extra workload.

InspectReady helps schools map the evidence they already hold against each evaluation area and prepare for the conversations behind it. It supports your own judgement and does not predict grades.

Frequently asked questions

How many evaluation areas are there on an Ofsted report card? Six are graded for every school: inclusion, curriculum and teaching, achievement, attendance and behaviour, personal development and wellbeing, and leadership and governance. Early years and post-16 provision are also graded where the school has them, giving up to eight grades. Safeguarding is judged separately as met or not met.

Is safeguarding one of the graded evaluation areas? Safeguarding has its own section in the toolkit, but it is not graded on the five-point scale. It is judged as met or not met, and it is met only when all the safeguarding standards are met and none of the not met descriptors apply.

Do inspectors look at our internal assessment data? No. The toolkit says inspectors will not review internal data, although they may ask how leaders use it and what decisions it leads to. Schools do not need to provide predictions or pupil-tracking information.

Do we need a written self-evaluation against each area? No. Ofsted does not expect a formal self-evaluation using the toolkit, and leaders are not disadvantaged without one. You will be asked on the planning call where you think the school sits in each area, so it helps to have a clear view and know where the evidence is.

Does a maintained nursery school get an early years grade? No. The toolkit says there is no separate early years grade for maintained nursery schools, because that area only applies when a school has children in the early years alongside older pupils. Inspectors use the early years area when interpreting the standards in the other areas.

Sources

School inspection: toolkit, operating guides and information, GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-inspection-toolkit-operating-guide-and-information
State-funded schools inspection toolkit, updated June 2026, for use on inspections from 7 September 2026 (PDF), GOV.UK: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6a915d1c01bbff0bf8f97b51/Schools_inspection_toolkit.pdf
School inspection operating guide for inspectors, for use from September 2026, GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-inspection-toolkit-operating-guide-and-information/school-inspection-operating-guide-for-inspectors-for-use-from-september-2026
Inspection information for state-funded schools, for use from September 2026, GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-inspection-toolkit-operating-guide-and-information/inspection-information-for-state-funded-schools-for-use-from-september-2026
Summary of changes, GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-inspection-toolkit-operating-guide-and-information/summary-of-changes

Questions school leaders ask

How many evaluation areas are there on an Ofsted report card?: Six are graded for every school: inclusion, curriculum and teaching, achievement, attendance and behaviour, personal development and wellbeing, and leadership and governance. Early years and post-16 provision are also graded where the school has them, giving up to eight grades. Safeguarding is judged separately as met or not met.
Is safeguarding one of the graded evaluation areas?: Safeguarding has its own section in the toolkit, but it is not graded on the five-point scale. It is judged as met or not met, and it is met only when all the safeguarding standards are met and none of the not met descriptors apply.
Do inspectors look at our internal assessment data?: No. The toolkit says inspectors will not review internal data, although they may ask how leaders use it and what decisions it leads to. Schools do not need to provide predictions or pupil-tracking information.
Do we need a written self-evaluation against each area?: No. Ofsted does not expect a formal self-evaluation using the toolkit, and leaders are not disadvantaged without one. You will be asked on the planning call where you think the school sits in each area, so it helps to have a clear view and know where the evidence is.
Does a maintained nursery school get an early years grade?: No. The toolkit says there is no separate early years grade for maintained nursery schools, because that area only applies when a school has children in the early years alongside older pupils. Inspectors use the early years area when interpreting the standards in the other areas.