Education inspection framework - Overview of research feeding into the EIF

Oct 21, 2026

Education inspection framework document summarizing research evidence supporting the proposed new Education Inspection Framework (EIF). It maps reviewed research to four core inspection judgements: quality of education, personal development, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management. The review draws on Ofsted research and international evidence, covering curriculum, teacher subject knowledge and support, effective teaching, learning and memory, assessment, reading, expectations and culture, attendance and attainment, bullying and discrimination, wellbeing, citizenship, vision and off-rolling, parental and community engagement.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages55

Reading Time2 h 19 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Overview of research feeding into the EIF

1. Quality of education

Research on the curriculum

Research on teacher subject knowledge and support

Research on effective teaching

Research on memory and learning

Research on assessment

Research on reading

2. Behaviour and attitudes

Research on high expectations and creating a positive culture

Research on attendance and attainment

Research on behaviour and attainment

Research on bullying and discrimination

3. Personal development

Research on self-belief, resilience and character

Research on physical and mental health

Research on citizenship

4. Leadership and management

Research on vision and a focus on the quality of education

Research on off-rolling

Research on parental and community engagement

Research on staff well-being

Education inspection framework Overview of research This paper presents the research evidence underpinning the education inspection framework. The review draws on a range of sources, including both our own research programme and a review of existing evidence bases. The review is structured to provide the evidence base that underlies each of the four key judgements for the proposed new framework: quality of education, personal development, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management. Contents Introduction 3 Overview of research feeding into the EIF 4 1. Quality of education 4 Research on the curriculum 4 Research on teacher subject knowledge and support 10 Research on effective teaching 13 Research on memory and learning 19 Research on assessment 22 Research on reading 24 2. Behaviour and attitudes 29 Research on high expectations and creating a positive culture 29 Research on attendance and attainment 31 Research on behaviour and attainment 32 Research on bullying and discrimination 35 3. Personal development 37 Research on self-belief, resilience and character 37 Research on physical and mental health 40 Research on citizenship 42 In summary 43 4. Leadership and management 43 Research on vision and a focus on the quality of education 44 Research on off-rolling 49 Research on parental and community engagement 50 Research on staff well-being 52 55 Introduction As Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector (HMCI) has stated, we are committed to ensuring that our new education inspection framework (EIF) is informed by research evidence. This aim has underpinned the whole process of our framework development and has been supported both by reviews of existing research and by conducting our own research into areas such as the curriculum. In this paper, we have summarised this work, explaining exactly what evidence on effective practice in schools and early years providers underpins the EIF criteria. Thereview therefore maps onto the framework criteria, and a large proportion of the research, for example on the importance of high expectations and vision in leadership, applies across remits. However, there is also a proportion of material that relates specifically to schools or early years. Where this is the case, we will set this out in the text (the relevant remit will be stated in bold) . The review draws on a range of sources. HMCI has commissioned a programme of research from our Research and Evaluation team, much of which has fed directly into the development of the framework. Sources of evidence include our research on curriculum and teacher well-being, which are summarised in this document in relation to the criteria which they have informed. In addition to our own research, we have reviewed research related to the four key inspection judgements: quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management. We have drawn on the academic research literature, but also on research and guidance from the Education Endowment Foundation, the Department for Education (DfE), and our own research and guidance reports. One thing to note is that the research reviewed here is in large part drawn from that done in schools and early years settings, rather than in further education and skills (FES) providers. This is largely due to the relative paucity of research in FES compared with the other sectors, and it may mean that not all of the research reviewed applies equally to FES. We have attempted to summarise the evidence comprehensively, though we have not surveyed the whole field of educational research, limiting our review to what evidence is directly related to our inspection judgements and criteria. Of course, educational research is contestable and contested, and so are research summaries such as this one. We hope, however, that publishing our evidence base will provide transparency, both on the evidence we have consulted and how w

FAQs

What is the purpose of the paper in relation to the EIF?

It presents the research evidence underpinning the proposed new Education Inspection Framework and explains how the evidence maps to the EIF criteria.

Which four key inspection judgements does the evidence review cover?

The review is structured around quality of education, personal development, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management.

What types of sources are used to build the evidence base?

It draws on Ofsted’s commissioned research and research reviews, as well as academic literature and inputs from the Education Endowment Foundation and the Department for Education.

Oct 21, 2026

Uploaded by Maya Linwood