Our Data Sources

In-depth information and guidance from UK School Explorer.

Official Government Data

UK School Explorer uses only official government data from trusted sources. We never edit, adjust, or modify the data - we present it exactly as published by the Department for Education and Ofsted.

1. Department for Education (DfE)

The DfE is responsible for education policy in England and publishes comprehensive performance data for all state-funded schools.

What we use from the DfE:

  • School Information Service - Basic information about all schools including name, address, type, phase, pupil numbers, and contact details
  • Key Stage 2 Performance Tables - Primary school results in reading, writing, and mathematics
  • Key Stage 4 Performance Tables - GCSE results including Progress 8 and Attainment 8 scores
  • Key Stage 5 Performance Tables - A-Level and equivalent qualification results
  • Absence Statistics - Overall and persistent absence rates for each school
  • Pupil Destinations - What students do after leaving school (further education, employment, apprenticeships, university)
  • Subject Performance - Detailed results broken down by individual subjects

Update Frequency: DfE performance tables are published annually, typically in January or February, containing data from the previous academic year.

Data Coverage: 2023-2024 academic year data (our current dataset)

Learn More:

2. Ofsted (Office for Standards in Education)

Ofsted is the independent inspection body for schools in England. They conduct regular inspections to assess the quality of education and publish detailed reports.

What we use from Ofsted:

  • Inspection Outcomes - Overall effectiveness grades or new report card assessments (from November 2025)
  • Sub-grades - Quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management
  • Inspection Dates - When each school was last inspected
  • Safeguarding - Whether safeguarding is effective
  • Categories of Concern - Special measures or requires improvement status
  • Previous Ratings - Historical inspection outcomes

The New Ofsted Framework (November 2025):

From November 10, 2025, Ofsted replaced single-word judgements with detailed report cards. Schools are now assessed across six areas using a 5-point scale (Exceptional, Strong standard, Expected standard, Needs attention, Urgent improvement):

  1. Inclusion
  2. Curriculum and teaching
  3. Achievement
  4. Attendance and behaviour
  5. Personal development and wellbeing
  6. Leadership and governance

UK School Explorer displays both old-style single judgements (for schools inspected before November 2025) and new report cards (for schools inspected under the new framework).

Update Frequency: Ofsted data is updated continuously. We refresh our Ofsted data weekly to include the latest inspections.

Inspection Frequency: Most schools are inspected every 4-5 years, with more frequent visits for schools requiring improvement or in special measures.

Learn More:

How We Keep Data Current

Regular Updates:

  • Performance Data - Updated annually when DfE publishes new tables (typically January/February)
  • Ofsted Reports - Updated weekly to capture new inspections
  • School Information - Updated termly to reflect school closures, mergers, and status changes

Data Freshness:

We always display the date when data was last updated. Performance data is typically 1-2 years old by the time it's published (e.g., 2023-2024 results published in January 2025). Ofsted reports represent the date of inspection.

Data Quality and Completeness

Missing Data:

Some schools may have missing data for legitimate reasons:

  • Small Cohorts - Data suppressed to protect pupil privacy when cohort sizes are very small
  • New Schools - Recently opened schools won't have historical performance data
  • Special Schools - Different assessment frameworks may mean standard metrics don't apply
  • Not Yet Inspected - New schools or recently converted academies awaiting first Ofsted inspection

We clearly indicate when data is missing or not applicable.

Data Validation:

While we use official government data, we perform quality checks including:

  • Validating data formats and ranges
  • Cross-checking school URNs between datasets
  • Identifying and handling outliers appropriately
  • Ensuring geographic coordinates match postcodes

What We Don't Include

To keep UK School Explorer focused and reliable, we don't include:

  • Subjective Ratings - We don't create our own scores or rankings
  • User Reviews - We don't collect or display parent reviews or ratings
  • Private School Data - We focus exclusively on state-funded schools
  • Unofficial Data - We don't use crowdsourced or third-party data sources

Data Licensing

All data displayed on UK School Explorer is published by the UK Government under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

This allows us to:

  • Copy, publish, and distribute the data
  • Adapt the data for our purposes
  • Combine it with other information

Provided we acknowledge the source and don't claim official endorsement.

Corrections and Updates

If you notice data that appears incorrect:

  1. Check the Source - The data reflects what's published by the DfE and Ofsted. Errors in official data can occur.
  2. Verify the Date - Ensure you're looking at the correct academic year or inspection date.
  3. Report Issues - If you believe there's an error in our presentation of the data, please contact us.

For corrections to the underlying data, you'll need to contact the DfE or Ofsted directly.

UK School Explorer: Trusted data from trusted sources, presented with clarity and context.

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