During inspection, inspectors will gather evidence to celebrate a school's strengths, validate the leaders' development priorities, and highlight where improvement is needed. This course will help leaders to understand their school context, pupil characteristics and achievement, and identify strengths and areas for improvement.

"[Inspections]… are structured but also flexible, adapting to context, responding to evidence and concentrating on what matters most for pupils. Learning walks are important and allow leaders to share their context as they are showing inspectors around their school."

Inspection information for state-funded schools: for use from November 2025 Published 9 September 2025 (underlining added)

During Ofsted's initial planning phone call, inspectors will aim to have a "meaningful and professional conversation about the school, its context, and leaders’ views about its strengths and priorities for improvement." (School Inspection Operating Guide for Inspectors). During the planning phone call and throughout the inspection, it will be key for schools to be able to clearly describe their context and how this influences their school development priorities. Ofsted will look for evidence to support from two sources: the IDSR and on-site evidence.

The course will support schools to understand and explain the context of their setting and prepare for conversations during inspection. The course will run by members of the Assessment Support Team, Data team and SSP team who will be able to explain and guide you to make best use of the data.

During the session, delegates will:
- Review the contextual information on the school and the pupils, considering factors such as attendance, EAL, SEND and deprivation
- Examine IDSR and LSIP to interpret and analyse school and group attainment, including disadvantaged pupils. Significance labels and confidence intervals will be explained
- Identify strengths and priorities for development for school and groups
- spend time during the day, developing a working document which can be used to inform school improvement planning

The cost of the course is at a reduced rate of £150 for the first delegate. Many schools have found it beneficial for two senior leaders to discuss and analyse information together. So to support schools further, a second place will be offered for the discounted price of £20
YOU WILL NEED TO BRING A LAPTOP OR DEVICE TO ENSURE THAT YOU HAVE ACCESS TO YOUR IDSR, ASP and LSIP (IF APPLICABLE).

Please feel free to bring any other additional data sources that you use.

"Overall, an incredibly worthwhile day for our school - we came away much clearer about all of our statutory data than we started off"
A South Ribble Headteacher