National Attendance PortalQuality Assurance • Attendance & Behaviour
Ofsted readiness • 2026/27

Attendance & Behaviour
Quality Assurance Hub

A clear, evidence-led self-audit for school leaders. Test whether practice is secure, identify gaps quickly, capture evidence of impact and prepare a concise inspection narrative.

✓ Secure-fit approach ✓ Attendance + behaviour together ✓ SEND & vulnerability lens ✓ Print-ready leadership record
Important: this hub is aligned to the Ofsted state-funded schools inspection toolkit for use from 7 September 2026. It is an independent preparation and quality-assurance tool, not an Ofsted product and not a prediction of an inspection grade.
The Ofsted scale

Know what each standard is asking

Ofsted uses a secure-fit model. The expected standard is the starting point; stronger grades require the preceding standard(s) to be securely met.

Urgent improvement
Serious weakness requiring urgent action.

Look for low expectations, weak strategic oversight, unsafe or disorderly behaviour, inappropriate sanctions/exclusions, or attendance that remains low without effective improvement.
Needs attention
The expected standard is not yet secure.

Practice may be appropriate in intent but inconsistent, too recent to show impact, or not working well enough for particular pupils or groups.
Expected standard
A high baseline standard.

Leaders know their attendance and behaviour picture, expectations and routines are effective, data is analysed, barriers are addressed and practice is adapted appropriately.
Strong standard
Excellent, consistent practice with demonstrable impact.

Culture is highly conducive to learning; pupils flourish; attendance is promoted skilfully; analysis drives early action; barriers are removed with rapid or notable impact.
Exceptional
Among the highest-quality practice nationally.

Strong standards are secure, impact is sustained and transformational, inclusion and belonging are exceptional, and practice is strong enough to share beyond the school.
Simple process

Use evidence, not optimism

1

Judge the typical picture

Rate what pupils experience routinely, not the best lesson, best corridor or newest initiative.

2

Triangulate

Bring together data, practice, pupil/family voice, casework, staff consistency and evidence of change over time.

3

Test groups and individuals

Ask who is not benefiting: disadvantaged pupils, SEND, social care, young carers, severe absence and other barriers.

4

Show impact

Move beyond “we do this” to “this changed because we did this” — including where leaders adjusted an approach.

Interactive self-audit

Attendance & behaviour inspection readiness

Rate each statement and add evidence where useful. Your work is saved locally in this browser.

Urgent improvement risk check

Tick only where this describes the current typical picture. A tick should trigger immediate leadership review; this tool will not automatically diagnose an Ofsted grade.

Evidence bank

What a convincing evidence picture looks like

You do not need a giant “Ofsted folder”. You do need a coherent story that can be tested from several angles.

Attendance intelligence

  • Whole-school trend and current position
  • Persistent and severe absence
  • Groups, year groups and intersectional patterns
  • Punctuality and session-level patterns
  • Impact of named interventions over time

Behaviour & attitudes

  • Incident and removal patterns
  • Suspensions / exclusions and repeat patterns
  • Low-level disruption and lesson readiness
  • Bullying / discriminatory incident analysis
  • Consistency across classrooms and unstructured time

Inclusion & adaptation

  • SEND reasonable adjustments
  • Disadvantaged and social-care cohorts
  • Young carers and medical needs
  • Alternative provision attendance oversight
  • Part-time timetable rationale, review and end points

Families & pupils

  • How barriers are identified with families
  • Supportive but challenging conversations
  • Pupil voice on belonging, safety and routines
  • Case studies showing changed practice
  • Escalation only when support is insufficient

Leadership & governance

  • Senior attendance champion oversight
  • Clear priorities and review cycles
  • Governor / trustee challenge
  • Staff training and confidence
  • Resource deployment linked to greatest need

Impact over time

  • What improved, for whom and by how much
  • Where progress stalled and what changed
  • Rapid / notable improvement in focus groups
  • Reduced repeat incidents or absence
  • Evidence that pupils feel they belong
Attendance practice lens

Keep the response graduated and relational

EXPECT
MONITOR
LISTEN & UNDERSTAND
FACILITATE SUPPORT
FORMALISE SUPPORT
ENFORCE
Inspection conversation

Prepare leaders to explain the story

Inspectors are likely to test what leaders know, whether practice is consistent and whether it is making a difference.

Six questions leaders should answer crisply

  • What are the most important attendance and behaviour issues in your context?
  • How do you know — and what does the data hide?
  • Which pupils and groups face the greatest barriers?
  • What did you change, and why?
  • What impact can you demonstrate over time?
  • What is not good enough yet, and what are you doing next?

Triangulation test

  • Leaders say: the strategy is understood.
  • Staff show: routines and expectations are consistent.
  • Pupils experience: calm, safety, belonging and support.
  • Families experience: listening, clarity, support and appropriate challenge.
  • Data shows: patterns are spotted early and impact is visible.

Your generated inspection briefing

Use the button in the audit summary to refresh this from your ratings.

Complete some of the audit, then choose “Create inspection briefing”.
Leadership follow-through

90-day improvement plan

Keep actions few, owned and measurable. Improvement activity is not impact until pupil experience or outcomes change.

PriorityActionOwnerBy whenEvidence of impact
Primary sources

Check the official material

This hub deliberately paraphrases the framework. Use the official toolkit and guidance as the definitive source.

Ofsted school inspection toolkit, operating guides and information

Official home for state-funded school inspection materials.

Open GOV.UK ↗

State-funded school inspection toolkit — September 2026

Version for inspections from 7 September 2026.

Open official PDF ↗

Ofsted supporting evidence base

Statutory guidance, professional standards and research used to inform version 2 of the toolkits.

Open evidence base ↗

Working together to improve school attendance

DfE statutory attendance guidance, updated for 2026.

Open GOV.UK ↗

Behaviour in schools

DfE advice for headteachers and school staff.

Open GOV.UK ↗

Suspensions and permanent exclusions

Current DfE statutory guidance and related materials.

Open GOV.UK ↗
Independent resource: The National Attendance Portal is not affiliated with or endorsed by Ofsted. “Ofsted” is used descriptively to help schools prepare for the published inspection framework. The audit judgement is indicative only; inspectors use professional judgement and the full toolkit in context.