Attendance: what Ofsted is looking for

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

Last reviewed on 8 October 2024See updates
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Contents
  1. What evidence will be used
  2. Behaviour and attitudes
  3. Leadership and management
  4. Sixth form provision
  5. PRU and alternative provision

This article is based on the School Inspection Handbook, which was updated on 16 September 2024.

There's no separate grade for attendance

You won't receive a separate judgement for attendance in your Ofsted inspection report.

However, inspectors will take attendance into account when grading the following areas:

  • Behaviour and attitudes
  • Leadership and management

If applicable to your setting, inspectors will also take attendance into account when grading your:

  • Sixth form provision 
  • Pupil referral unit (PRU) or other alternative provision 

See the sections below for more details on these judgements.

What evidence will be used

Provide attendance analysis data on day one

By 8am on the first day of inspection, you must give inspectors up-to-date attendance analysis for all groups of pupils. See paragraph 112 of the inspection handbook (linked above) for details.

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

Inspectors will analyse absence and persistent absence