Transparency data

Quality framework for statistical publications

Updated 30 October 2025

Applies to England

This document outlines Ofqual’s approach to ensuring its statistical publications are robust and fit for purpose, with respect to both its role as a producer of statistics under the UK Statistic’s Authority Code of Practice for Statistics and its role as the regulator of qualifications, examinations and assessments in England.

Quality assurance: Ofqual’s approach

In producing statistics, Ofqual works with the following frameworks in mind:

• The Code of Practice for Statistics, outlining the standards to be followed in the production of official statistics, including its 3 pillars of trustworthiness, quality and value
• The AQuA book, outlining principles for good practice in the quality assurance of data analytics
• The Government Functional Standard for Analysis, outlining expectations for planning and undertaking the analysis of data
• The Reproducible Analytical Pipelines (RAP) strategy, outlining techniques that can be used to carry out reproducible, transparent, efficient, auditable and high quality data analysis
• The Quality Assurance of Administrative Data (QAAD) framework, outlining standards against which organisations can assess the quality of administrative source data

The various principles and practices outlined in these frameworks allow Ofqual to carry out robust and high-quality analysis, ensuring that methods, processes and practices are based on established cross-government good practice. We continue to challenge ourselves in the extent to which we are meeting these principles and will continue to develop our staff and our analytical pipelines where opportunities to do so are identified.  

To support our quality assurance activities, we encourage and maintain an open dialogue with our data suppliers (both on an ad-hoc basis and through our quarterly data forum meetings), to gain an understanding of any limitations of our source data so that we can take appropriate action, including communicating remaining caveats to users in our statistical releases. More information on the data we use for statistical publications can be found in our statement on administrative data sources.

To ensure that our statistical releases continue to offer good value to users, we encourage feedback via email or surveys in every release, acting upon feedback gained as and when appropriate to do so. More information can be found in our user engagement strategy for statistics users.

Dimensions of quality

The European Statistical System Committee (ESSC) outlined the following 5 dimensions of quality in their European Statistics Code of Practice.

Relevance

Statistics should offer, and continue to offer, value which is relevant to users’ needs.

Ofqual continually assesses the relevance of its statistics via insights gathered through the methods outlined in our user engagement strategy for statistics users. Where practical and appropriate to do so, we will make changes with those user needs in mind.

Accuracy and reliability

Source data should be error-free and consistent over time.

Ofqual carries out routine data validation and maintains an open dialogue with its data suppliers to gain an awareness of the potential limitations associated with data and works with those suppliers to improve data at source, as described in our statement on administrative data sources.

We carry out robust quality assurance on our analysis, in line with the principles outlined in The AQuA Book. Working under the Reproducible Analytical Pipelines (RAP) framework allows us to set up our analytical pipelines in a way that facilitates more effective quality assurance.

Timelines and punctuality

Statistics should be published in a timely manner, as soon practical after the data becoming available, and in line with users’ needs.

Ofqual publishes its official statistics as soon as practical after the data becoming available, with any delays usually being due to the need for thorough quality assurance.

RAP enables us to produce statistics in a more efficient manner, reducing the time it takes to prepare releases for publication.

We are fully transparent on where and when we will publish releases; for more information, see our publication and dissemination policy for official statistics.

Comparability and coherence

Statistics should be coherent and consistent both within the same release, over time, and when compared with other similar releases.

We routinely carry out checks as part of quality assurance steps to ensure that all the sections within an individual report are coherent wherever possible, and that the release is also coherent over time.

On occasion, figures may be legitimately different within a release or may have changed since the previous release. Where identified, these will be explained.

Accessibility and clarity

Statistics should be clear and accessible to all users. Statistics producers should be transparent about the quality of the release.

Ofqual publishes its statistics openly on GOV.UK, using accessible file formats wherever possible. We focus on our presentation of charts and tables to ensure they are formatted in a manner that is as clear and accessible as possible, to the greatest range of potential users.

We include statements on the quality of the release in our publications and are transparent on known data limitations and sources of uncertainty.

For more information, see our publication and dissemination policy for official statistics.