Schools eligible for RISE intervention
Information on the eligibility criteria for targeted RISE intervention and data on the characteristics and performance of pupils in RISE schools.
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Headline facts and figures
Expected standard reading, writing and maths (combined) gap
-18% points
Pre-policy intervention Targeted RISE (Gap to national average)
KS2: What does this figure show?
This figure shows the gap in the percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (combined) between Targeted RISE schools and all state-funded mainstream schools in the 2024/25 academic year. This is the gap prior to the impact of policy intervention.
Average Attainment 8 gap
-9.6 points
Pre-policy intervention Targeted RISE (Gap to national average)
KS4: What does this figure show?
This figure shows the gap between Targeted RISE schools and all state-funded mainstream schools for the average Attainment 8 scores of pupils in the 2024/25 academic year. This is the gap prior to the impact of policy intervention.
Overall absence rate gap (primary)
1.37% points
Pre-policy intervention Targeted RISE (Gap to national average)
Overall absence rate (primary): What does this figure show?
This figure shows how much higher the overall absence rate was in primary schools receiving targeted RISE intervention than in all state-funded mainstream primary schools during the 2024/25 academic year. This represents the gap before the impact of the RISE intervention.
Overall absence rate gap (secondary)
2.87% points
Pre-policy intervention Targeted RISE (Gap to national average)
Overall absence rate (secondary): What does this figure show?
This figure shows how much higher the overall absence rate was in secondary schools receiving targeted RISE intervention than in all state-funded mainstream secondary schools in the 2024/25 academic year. This is the gap prior to the impact of policy intervention.
This publication provides an updated baseline assessment for targeted RISE schools. The assessment is focused on success measures for the programme, including attainment, absence and behaviour.
The data refer to trends in these measures over time before targeted RISE was introduced, with the most recent being for the 2024/25 academic year, to provide background to the programme. They will not have been affected by the targeted RISE programme because, other than a few schools that participated in an early testing period for targeted RISE in February 2025, schools joined the programme in the 2025 summer term or later. There would have been insufficient time for the programme to have had an impact on 2024/25 data for any of these schools.
The data shows that average attainment (including for disadvantaged pupils) in schools receiving targeted RISE intervention was below the national average and rates of absence, exclusions and suspensions were above the national average.
Eligibility for RISE targeted intervention
Eligibility for targeted RISE intervention is determined through Ofsted inspections.
Eligibility when the programme started (February 2025): Schools that were ‘stuck’– defined as a state-funded school that was graded requires improvement – or equivalent – at its most recent Ofsted inspection and was also graded below good at its previous Ofsted inspection – were eligible for targeted RISE intervention if they were still with the same responsible body as at the time of their most recent inspection.
Where inspections have been completed subsequent to the removal of single headline grades in September 2024 (and in the interim before report cards are introduced), for the definition of stuck schools and for the purpose of its intervention policy, DfE treated a sub-judgement of requires improvement for leadership and management and/or quality of education for a school inspected in 2024/25 academic year as equivalent to a previous single headline grade of requires improvement.
In addition, a small number of academies judged by Ofsted to be in a ‘category of concern’ and were not transferring to a new trust were made eligible for targeted RISE intervention.
Current eligibility (since November 2025): Following the introduction of Ofsted school report cards, the definition of stuck schools was updated to “schools which receive a needs attention grade for leadership and governance, which were graded below good, or equivalent, at their previous Ofsted inspection”. Schools that become stuck through a new Ofsted inspection are eligible for targeted RISE intervention.
Future eligibility: From September 2026, schools which are judged by Ofsted as requiring significant improvement (RSI) will become eligible for targeted RISE intervention.
The Department is also consulting on extending eligibility to primary and secondary schools with the lowest levels of pupil achievement from January 2027.
Schools currently in the targeted RISE intervention programme
As of May 2026, there were 419 schools that had enrolled on the targeted RISE intervention programme and were still eligible for intervention. The following statistics cover the 399 mainstream schools among these (and not any that have subsequently joined the programme). Of the 399 mainstream schools, 205 were primary schools, 192 were secondary schools and 2 were all-through schools. Some schools joined the programme but are no longer eligible, either following a new Ofsted inspection or a structural change of responsible body.
Key stage 2 attainment in targeted RISE intervention schools
Attainment at key stage 2 is lower for pupils in schools receiving targeted RISE intervention, compared to all pupils nationally in state funded mainstream schools. This applies for both disadvantaged pupils and pupils not known to be disadvantaged. There was a small narrowing of the gap between RISE schools and the national average between 2023/24 and 2024/25.
Key stage 4 attainment in targeted RISE intervention schools
Attainment at key stage 4 is lower for pupils in schools receiving targeted RISE intervention, compared to all pupils nationally in state funded mainstream schools. This applies for both disadvantaged pupils and pupils not known to be disadvantaged. There was a small narrowing of the gap between RISE schools and the national average between 2023/24 and 2024/25.
Pupil absence in targeted RISE intervention schools
Primary: Absence rates across all headline measures are higher for pupils in primary schools receiving targeted RISE intervention compared to pupils in all primary schools nationally. Absence rates fell between 2023/24 and 2024/25 both nationally and across primary schools receiving targeted RISE intervention. The percentage of persistent absentees also fell, but the percentage of severe absentees increased.
Secondary: Absence rates across all headline measures are higher for pupils in secondary schools receiving targeted RISE intervention compared to pupils in all secondary schools nationally. Absence rates fell between 2023/24 and 2024/25 both nationally and across secondary schools receiving targeted RISE intervention, as did the percentage of persistent absentees. While severe absence increased nationally, across targeted RISE schools severe absence decreased.
Suspensions and permanent exclusions in targeted RISE intervention schools
Primary: The rates of both suspensions and permanent exclusions are higher for pupils in schools receiving targeted RISE intervention, compared to pupils in all primary schools nationally. The suspension rate increased between 2023/24 and 2024/25 both nationally and across primary schools receiving targeted RISE intervention, while for permanent exclusions the rate remained stable nationally but increased in targeted RISE schools. There was a widening of the gap between targeted RISE schools and the national average for both suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Secondary: The rates of both suspensions and permanent exclusions are higher for pupils in secondary schools receiving targeted RISE intervention compared to pupils in all secondary schools nationally. Suspension and exclusion rates fell between 2023/24 and 2024/25 both nationally and across secondary schools receiving targeted RISE intervention, and there was a narrowing of the gap between targeted RISE schools and the national average for both suspensions and permanent exclusions.
FSM eligibility and pupil ethnicity
A high proportion of pupils attending schools receiving targeted RISE intervention are White British pupils who are eligible for free school meals, compared to the national average. This can be seen in the table below which shows figures for the proportion of all pupils at these schools by their free school meals eligibility and ethnicity classification.
For instance, as of January 2025:
- 24.0% of pupils attending primary schools that are receiving targeted RISE intervention were White British and eligible for free schools meals (compared to an equivalent figure of 14.5% for all state-funded mainstream primary schools).
- 26.8% of pupils attending secondary schools that are receiving targeted RISE intervention were White British and eligible for free schools meals (compared to an equivalent figure of 14.3% for all state-funded mainstream secondary schools).
Overview of data coverage, data sources, and processing steps
Background: This release follows on from the previous Schools eligible for RISE intervention publication from 9 September 2025. It provides figures at an aggregate level for attainment, absence, exclusions and suspensions, and characteristics of pupils for schools receiving targeted intervention from RISE (Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence) advisers and teams.
Data coverage: The targeted RISE intervention schools covered by the figures in this release are the 399 mainstream schools from among the 419 schools that had enrolled on the targeted RISE intervention programme as of May 2026 and which were still eligible for intervention.
These schools include the spring, summer, and autumn term 2025 delivery cohorts and the spring and summer term 2026 delivery cohorts (where a school remains eligible for intervention). A list of these schools with details of their phase, type and which delivery cohort they are in is published here: RISE programme: lists of advisers and targeted schools - GOV.UK (opens in new tab)
As outlined in the eligibility section of this release, eligibility for targeted RISE intervention is determined through Ofsted inspections. Latest information on the outcomes of Ofsted inspections is available through the Ofsted Management Information dataset which can be accessed using the link shown in the Methodology tab provided within this release.
Data collection: The data in this release for attainment, absence, exclusions and suspensions of pupils attending these schools is based on DfE data collections for key stage 2 outcomes in 2024 and 2025, key stage 4 outcomes in 2024 and 2025, absence for academic years 2023/24 and 2024/25, and suspensions and exclusions for academic year 2023/24 and 2024/25. DfE's national level publications for these are available at the locations shown below and these provide the detailed methodology used for published statistics on these topics.
Release home - Key stage 2 attainment - Explore education statistics - GOV.UK
Release home - Key stage 4 performance - Explore education statistics - GOV.UK
Release home - Pupil absence in schools in England - Explore education statistics - GOV.UK
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) provides the detailed methodology used for pupil characteristics statistics using school census data.
Data processing: This release shows aggregate level attainment, absence, exclusions and suspensions, and characteristics figures for pupils attending mainstream schools that are in the RISE targeted intervention programme. 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.
Where a RISE targeted intervention 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 May 2026, linking of data between the predecessor school and the successor school is performed.
As comparator measures, national level attainment, absence, exclusions and suspensions, and pupil characteristics figures for state-funded mainstream schools (of the relevant phase) are also presented in this release. These national level comparator figures are based on the methodology described in relevant national level publications.
Contact us
If you have a specific enquiry about Schools eligible for RISE intervention statistics and data:
Regions Group Data and Analysis Unit
Email: dau.businessoperations@education.gov.ukContact name: James Micklefield, Jonathan Souppouris
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