Attendance: what Ofsted is looking for

Last reviewed on 15 September 2021
School types: All · School phases: All
Ref: 4699

Ofsted will consider your attendance data when making specific judgements. Understand what evidence inspectors will want to look at, and what they want to see in 'outstanding' and 'good' schools.

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Contents

  1. No separate grade for attendance
  2. What evidence will be used
  3. Behaviour and attitudes
  4. Leadership and management
  5. Sixth form provision
  6. PRU and alternative provision

No separate grade for attendance

You won't receive a separate grade for attendance in an Ofsted inspection report.

However, attendance will be taken into account when grading the following areas:

  • Behaviour and attitudes
  • Leadership and management

If applicable to your setting, attendance will also be taken into account when grading:

  • Sixth-form provision 
  • PRU and alternative provision 

What evidence will be used

What you must provide

By 8am on the first day of inspection, you must give inspectors up-to-date attendance analysis for all groups of pupils.

Get a full list of the information you need to provide in our pre-inspection checklist.

What inspectors will look at

Inspectors will analyse absence and persistent absence rates for all your pupils, comparing different groups with national averages for all pupils.

This includes:

Inspectors will also observe pupils' punctuality in arriving at school and

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Also in 'Inspection criteria'