Background
This release is an update to the Schools eligible for RISE intervention publication. It provides updated figures for the numbers and types of schools that the DfE considers to be potentially eligible for improvement intervention on the basis of their Ofsted inspections. It also provides an update for how long such schools’ Ofsted results demonstrate underperformance (to date) and which are being targeted for policy intervention from RISE (Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence) advisers and teams. In addition, this update provides aggregate level data on attainment, absence, exclusions and suspensions, and characteristics for pupils at these schools.
Data collection
The data provided in this release on schools potentially eligible for improvement intervention were derived by using consecutive publications from Ofsted management information on state-funded school inspections and outcomes (opens in a new tab). Schools are matched on their unique reference numbers (URN) to create a history of inspection outcomes.
The data in this release on attainment, absence, exclusions and suspensions for these schools is based on DfE data collections for key stage 2 outcomes in 2024, key stage 4 outcomes in 2024, absence for academic year 2023/24 and for Autumn term 2024/25, and suspensions and exclusions for academic year 2023/24. DfE's national level publications for these are available at the locations shown below and these outline the detailed methodology used for published statistics on these topics.
The data in this release on pupil characteristics is based on school census data for the Spring term of the 2024/25 academic year. The DfE national level publication titled Schools, pupils and their characteristics: January 2025 (Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2024/25 - Explore education statistics - GOV.UK) outlines the detailed methodology used for pupil characteristics statistics using school census data.
Data processing
The output tables presented in this release show aggregate level attainment, absence, exclusions and suspensions, and characteristics figures for pupils attending schools that the DfE considers to be potentially eligible for improvement intervention on the basis of their Ofsted inspections. Specifically, the presented statistics cover the following three groups of schools:-
- The 639 stuck schools (as at 30 June 2025).
- The 261 schools in a category of concern (as at 30 June 2025).
- The 377 schools in the RISE targeted intervention programme (including the spring, summer, and autumn 2025 cohorts).
The presented attainment, absence, exclusions and suspensions, and pupil characteristics figures are derived by aggregating up the relevant school level data from the data collections listed above.
Only mainstream schools from within the three above mentioned groups of schools are included in the aggregations.
Where a stuck or category of concern school has had a change of status (leading to a change of its Unique Reference Number) between the date of the data collections listed above and the dates mentioned above for the different categories of schools, linking of data between the predecessor school and the successor school is performed.
As a comparator, national level attainment, absence, exclusions and suspensions, and pupil characteristics figures for state-funded mainstream schools are also presented in this release. These national level comparator figures are based on the methodology described in relevant national level publications.
Data quality
The presented figures are rounded on the same basis as used in the relevant national level publications.
A small number of stuck schools and category of concern schools do not have absence data available for autumn term 2024/25. When this situation arises is explained in section 4.6 of the methodology note contained within the Autumn term 2024/25 Pupil absence in schools in England publication.