Insights

Plain-English notes on official school data: Ofsted report cards, GIAS and DfE benchmarking.

• 31 March 2026

  What replaced Ofsted grades, explained

  From 10 November 2025, new Ofsted inspections use a six-area report card on a five-point scale, plus safeguarding met or not met. As of 31 March 2026, only 937 inspections had been published under the new framework. Most schools still show an old-framework grade.

• 31 March 2026

  How to read a six-area report card

  Six areas: inclusion, curriculum and teaching, achievement, attendance and behaviour, personal development and well-being, leadership and governance. And what exceptional, strong standard, expected standard, needs attention and urgent improvement actually mean.

• 31 March 2026

  GIAS, Ofsted and DfE benchmarking: what each file is for

  GIAS is daily and names the establishment. Ofsted structured data is a monthly CSV. DfE Financial Benchmarking is category spend, not named suppliers. Here is how to read them together.

• 31 March 2026

  Old grade, new card: how to tell which one is live

  Until a school is reinspected under the new framework, the old-framework grade is still the live grade. TrustlyEd shows them side by side so you do not mistake a historic “Good” for a new report card.