Collection

Ofsted schools research

Ofsted carries out research alongside its main inspection programme to look at specific issues, subjects or policies in more detail.

• From: Ofsted
• Published: 15 May 2015
• Last updated: 27 June 2025 — See all updates

Ofsted’s research programme serves a range of purposes. It allows us to focus on specific issues in greater detail than is possible during an institutional inspection. Alternatively, it can explore issues outside the current inspection framework, or may look at providers we don’t currently inspect.

Alternative school provision

• Alternative provision in local areas in England: a thematic review
  • 1 February 2024
  • Research and analysis
• Alternative provision for primary-age pupils in England: a long-term ‘destination’ or a ‘temporary solution'?
  • 8 November 2022
  • Research and analysis
• Knife crime: safeguarding children and young people in education
  • 16 September 2019
  • Research and analysis
• Alternative school provision: findings of a three year survey
  • 9 February 2016
  • Research and analysis
• Alternative provision: education outside school
  • 21 June 2011
  • Research and analysis

Artificial intelligence (AI)

• AI in schools and further education: findings from early adopters
  • 27 June 2025
  • Research and analysis
• Ofsted research on artificial intelligence in education: terms of reference
  • 10 December 2024
  • Research and analysis

Curriculum

• Curriculum quality: evaluating the impact of the education inspection framework
  • 6 March 2025
  • Research and analysis
• Education inspection framework: implementation review
  • 3 February 2025
  • Research and analysis
• Intention and substance: primary school science curriculum research
  • 12 February 2019
  • Research and analysis
• Education inspection framework: overview of research
  • 2 July 2019
  • Research and analysis
• Curriculum research: assessing intent, implementation and impact
  • 19 December 2018
  • Research and analysis
• Commentary on curriculum research - phase 3
  • 19 December 2018
  • Authored article
• HMCI's commentary: recent primary and secondary curriculum research
  • 11 October 2017
  • Authored article
• HMCI commentary: curriculum and the new education inspection framework
  • 21 September 2018
  • Authored article
• Reception curriculum in good and outstanding primary schools: bold beginnings
  • 5 January 2018
  • Research and analysis

History, geography and religious education

• Subject report series: religious education
  • 17 April 2024
  • Research and analysis
• Research review series: history
  • 14 July 2021
  • Research and analysis
• Research review series: geography
  • 17 June 2021
  • Research and analysis
• Research review series: religious education
  • 12 May 2021
  • Research and analysis
• Religious education: realising the potential
  • 6 October 2013
  • Research and analysis
• History teaching in schools: strengths and weaknesses
  • 13 March 2011
  • Research and analysis
• Geography: learning to make a world of difference
  • 4 February 2011
  • Research and analysis

Inspections

• Inspecting education quality: lesson observation and workbook scrutiny
  • 26 June 2019
  • Research and analysis
• Retaining Ofsted's current grading system in education
  • 30 April 2019
  • Research and analysis
• Reliability of short school inspections
  • 7 March 2017
  • Research and analysis

Languages and literacy

• Research review series: English
  • 15 July 2022
  • Research and analysis
• Research review series: languages
  • 7 June 2021
  • Research and analysis
• Improving literacy in secondary schools: a shared responsibility
  • 24 April 2013
  • Research and analysis
• Improving literacy: moving English forward
  • 22 April 2013
  • Research and analysis
• Early language and literacy: from training to teaching
  • 16 November 2012
  • Research and analysis
• Removing barriers to literacy
  • 21 January 2011
  • Research and analysis
• Modern languages: achievement and challenge 2007 to 2010
  • 11 January 2011
  • Research and analysis

Lesson observation

• Ofsted research on lesson observation models
  • 22 May 2018
  • Research and analysis

Maths, IT and technology

• Research review series: computing
  • 16 May 2022
  • Research and analysis
• Research review series: mathematics
  • 25 May 2021
  • Research and analysis
• ICT in schools: 2008 to 2011
  • 22 April 2013
  • Research and analysis
• Mathematics: inequalities in student experiences
  • 22 May 2012
  • Research and analysis
• Meeting technological challenges: school design and technology provision
  • 25 March 2011
  • Research and analysis

Music and creative subjects

• Research review series: music
  • 12 July 2021
  • Research and analysis
• Music in schools: what hubs must do
  • 15 November 2013
  • Research and analysis
• Music in schools: sound partnerships
  • 5 October 2012
  • Research and analysis
• Art, craft and design education: making a mark
  • 30 March 2012
  • Research and analysis
• Music in schools: student progress
  • 2 March 2012
  • Research and analysis

Physical education and sport

• Research review series: PE
  • 18 March 2022
  • Research and analysis
• The PE and sport premium for primary schools
  • 17 October 2014
  • Research and analysis
• Going the extra mile: excellence in competitive school sport
  • 20 June 2014
  • Research and analysis
• Beyond 2012: outstanding physical education for all
  • 14 February 2013
  • Research and analysis
• School sport partnerships
  • 24 June 2011
  • Research and analysis

Preparing children for the future

• Independent review of careers guidance in specialist settings
  • 22 February 2024
  • Research and analysis
• Independent review of careers guidance in schools and further education and skills providers
  • 29 September 2023
  • Research and analysis
• Ofsted’s thematic review of careers guidance: terms of reference
  • 1 March 2024
  • Research and analysis
• Enterprise education: how secondary schools prepare young people for work
  • 24 November 2016
  • Research and analysis
• Key stage 3: the wasted years?
  • 10 September 2015
  • Research and analysis
• Careers guidance in schools: going in the right direction?
  • 6 September 2013
  • Research and analysis
• Economics, business and enterprise education
  • 8 June 2011
  • Research and analysis
• Girls' career aspirations
  • 12 April 2011
  • Research and analysis

PSHE

• Review of sexual abuse in schools and colleges
  • 10 June 2021
  • Research and analysis
• Citizenship consolidated? A survey of citizenship in schools
  • 11 October 2013
  • Research and analysis
• PSHE education in schools: strengths and weaknesses
  • 1 May 2013
  • Research and analysis

Pupil premium

• Pupil premium: update on schools' progress
  • 16 July 2014
  • Research and analysis
• The pupil premium: analysis and challenge tools for schools
  • 11 February 2013
  • Research and analysis
• The pupil premium: how schools are spending the funding successfully
  • 11 February 2013
  • Research and analysis
• The pupil premium: how schools used the funding
  • 20 September 2012
  • Research and analysis

Pupil wellbeing, progress and behaviour

• ‘Now the whole school is reading’: supporting struggling readers in secondary school
  • 31 October 2022
  • Research and analysis
• Review of sexual abuse in schools and colleges
  • 10 June 2021
  • Research and analysis
• Knife crime: safeguarding children and young people in education
  • 16 September 2019
  • Research and analysis
• Obesity, healthy eating and physical activity in primary schools
  • 18 July 2018
  • Research and analysis
• Ensuring Roma children achieve in education
  • 1 June 2015
  • Research and analysis
• Low-level disruption in classrooms: below the radar
  • 25 September 2014
  • Research and analysis
• Unseen children: educational access and achievement 20 years on
  • 20 June 2013
  • Research and analysis
• Performance of the most able students from non-selective schools
  • 13 June 2013
  • Research and analysis
• School strategies for preventing and tackling bullying
  • 19 June 2012
  • Research and analysis
• Supporting children with challenging behaviour
  • 12 July 2011
  • Research and analysis
• The impact of the 'Assessing pupils' progress' initiative
  • 4 April 2011
  • Research and analysis

Remote education

• Remote education and SEND
  • 2 March 2021
  • Research and analysis
• Remote education research
  • 18 February 2021
  • Research and analysis
• What’s working well in remote education
  • 11 January 2021
  • Guidance

School governance and leadership

• Improving school governance
  • 15 December 2016
  • Research and analysis
• School governance: learning from the best
  • 18 May 2011
  • Research and analysis

Science

• Research review series: science
  • 29 April 2021
  • Research and analysis
• Intention and substance: primary school science curriculum research
  • 12 February 2019
  • Research and analysis
• Science education in schools: maintaining curiosity
  • 21 November 2013
  • Research and analysis
• Science teaching in schools: strengths and weaknesses
  • 7 January 2011
  • Research and analysis

SEND

• Area SEND framework: findings from the first 2 years of inspections
  • 7 July 2025
  • Research and analysis
• Area SEND review: what we heard and how we are improving
  • 7 July 2025
  • Research and analysis
• SEND: old issues, new issues, next steps
  • 16 June 2021
  • Research and analysis
• Supporting SEND
  • 13 May 2021
  • Research and analysis
• Remote education and SEND
  • 2 March 2021
  • Research and analysis
• An evaluation of the framework for inspecting local areas’ special educational needs and/or disabilities services
  • 9 July 2020
  • Research and analysis
• Local area SEND inspections: one year on
  • 18 October 2017
  • Research and analysis
• SEND framework: 2010 review
  • 14 September 2010
  • Research and analysis

Tutoring

• Independent review of tutoring in schools and 16 to 19 providers
  • 31 October 2023
  • Research and analysis

Working with families

• Children in service families
  • 20 May 2011
  • Research and analysis
• Schools and parents: developing partnerships
  • 1 April 2011
  • Research and analysis

Published 15 May 2015

Last updated 27 June 2025 + show all updates

1. 27 June 2025

   Added the 'AI in schools and further education: findings from early adopters' report.

2. 6 June 2025

   Added the 'Area SEND framework: findings from the first 2 years of inspections' and 'Area SEND review: what we heard and how we are improving' publications under SEND.

3. 10 December 2024

   Added the terms of reference for Ofsted's independent review of artificial intelligence in education.

4. 17 April 2024

   Added the religious education subject report.

5. 18 October 2017

   Published today: 'Local area SEND inspections: one year on'.

6. 15 December 2016

   Added governance survey report.

7. 24 November 2016

   Added enterprise education report.

8. 12 February 2016

   Added a link to survey inviting feedback on publications.

9. 10 September 2015

   Added key stage 3 report

10. 15 May 2015

    First published.