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Ofsted Category

Ofsted

Last refreshed 30 January 2026 16:42
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Ofsted Category

Ofsted

Category of concern from Ofsted (if applicable)

Understanding Ofsted Category

When a school is rated Inadequate, Ofsted may place it into a formal category requiring specific intervention. This field shows whether and what category applies.

Categories of Concern

Special Measures: - The most serious category - School is failing to provide acceptable education - Requires intensive support and monitoring - Regular monitoring visits - Likely to become a sponsored academy

Serious Weaknesses: - School is inadequate but not failing - Has capacity to improve - Less intensive monitoring than Special Measures - Given time to demonstrate improvement

What This Means for Parents

A school in category is receiving additional scrutiny and support: - More frequent Ofsted visits - Potential leadership changes - Often required to join a Multi-Academy Trust - Additional resources may be provided

Improvement Journeys

Many schools successfully exit categories and go on to achieve Good or Outstanding ratings. Being in category means intensive focus on improvement, which can accelerate positive change.

Technical Details

Column Name
ofsted_category
Data Source
Ofsted

Coverage by School Phase

How many schools have data available for this field.

Primary
0% 153 / 17910
Secondary
3% 39 / 1263
Secondary with Sixth Form
2% 44 / 2033
Sixth Form Only
0% 0 / 289
All-through
3% 8 / 269
Special
1% 34 / 2059
Independent
0% 0 / 1724
Good (80%+)
Moderate (50-79%)
Poor (<50%)

This field does not contribute to the performance score calculation.

Value Distribution by School Phase

Distribution of categorical values across schools.

Primary (153 schools, 2 values)

SM
106 69.3%
SWK
47 30.7%

Secondary (39 schools, 2 values)

SM
23 59.0%
SWK
16 41.0%

Secondary with Sixth Form (44 schools, 2 values)

SWK
26 59.1%
SM
18 40.9%

Special (34 schools, 2 values)

SM
24 70.6%
SWK
10 29.4%