How the GEC Platform will help you
meet Ofsted’s New Inspection Framework
Lead the way on inclusion. Meet Ofsted’s new framework with the GEC Platform.
The GEC Platform: Addressing Ofsted’s New Areas of Focus –
Section by Section
From November 2025, inclusion moves from the margins to the centre — it is now a full grading criterion. Under the new Ofsted framework, inspectors will judge whether pupils can Achieve, Belong, and Thrive.
This raises the bar for leaders: you are now fully accountable for inclusion. It’s no longer enough to show headline attainment data or policies on paper. Inspectors will expect to see evidence — both quantitative data (attendance, exclusions, attainment, wellbeing) and qualitative insight (student and staff voice, lived experience, demonstrable impact).
The GEC Platform is the only data for inclusion tool that brings both together. With intersectional analysis across 30+ demographics, built-in action planning, and expert support, it empowers schools, trusts, colleges, and independent schools to not just meet Ofsted’s expectations — but to lead the way.
How the GEC Platform will help you
meet Ofsted’s New Inspection Framework
Safeguarding
What Ofsted Looks For: A safe culture where pupils know who to trust and feel protected.
How the GEC Platform helps:
Surfaces safeguarding areas early through student and staff voice.
Allows you to combine your static data with lived experience to provide inspectors with both numbers and stories.
Your GEC Report: Inclusion Audit (leaders), Student Index (ages 3–post-16) on safety & trusted adults, and Trust Dashboards for comparison.
With GEC Support: CPD modules on safeguarding culture, safer recruitment, and digital safety, plus expert coaching.
Inclusion
What Ofsted Looks For: An inclusive culture where barriers to belonging are addressed.
How the GEC Platform helps:
Collects pupil and staff voice to identify barriers to inclusion.
Highlights intersectional gaps (SEND + gender + ethnicity etc.).
Your GEC Report: Inclusion Audit benchmarks readiness; Staff & Student Indexes surface belonging and representation; insights come with expert coaching recommendations.
With GEC Support: 30+ days of CPD in the Champion Hub, plus tailored coaching on building intentional inclusion strategies.
Curriculum and Teaching
What Ofsted Looks For: A broad, balanced, inclusive curriculum taught adaptively.
How the GEC Platform helps:
Evaluates representation and accessibility in teaching and curriculum delivery.
Surfaces curriculum gaps via pupil and staff perceptions.
Your GEC Report: Student Index on curriculum visibility (“Do you see yourself in lessons?”), Staff Index on adaptive teaching, and comparative dashboards.
With GEC Support: CPD on inclusive curriculum design, adaptive teaching, and expert advice on diversifying pedagogy.
Achievement
What Ofsted Looks For: Pupils achieve academically and personally.
How the GEC Platform helps:
Goes beyond headline results to capture personal growth and lived experiences.
Breaks down outcomes by pupil group.
Your GEC Report: Student Index on self-perceptions of learning; Inclusion Audit links leadership intent to monitoring; dashboards highlight achievement gaps.
With GEC Support: CPD on inclusive pedagogy, adaptive assessment, and coaching on embedding inclusive interventions.
Leadership and Governance
What Ofsted Looks For: Leaders drive inclusion and hold themselves accountable.
How the GEC Platform helps:
Assesses inclusion intent, culture, and accountability.
Surfaces blind spots via 360° voice.
Your GEC Report: Inclusion Audit on leadership readiness; Trust dashboards for governors; Action Plans for SLT.
With GEC Support: CPD on inclusive leadership & governance, plus GEC Circle coaching.
Attendance and Behaviour
What Ofsted Looks For: Pupils attend regularly and behaviour systems are fair, inclusive, and effective.
How the GEC Platform helps:
Captures real-time pupil voice on belonging, safety, and behaviour.
Identifies drivers of absence and exclusion through qual + quant data.
Your GEC Report: Inclusion Audit on leadership responses; Student Index on reasons for absence; Staff Index on policy in practice.
With GEC Support: CPD on trauma-informed behaviour approaches and coaching on linking attendance with inclusion.
Early Years
What Ofsted Looks For: Inclusive, safe, and developmental early years practice.
How the GEC Platform helps:
Provides age-appropriate tools to capture children’s voice (ages 3+).
Surfaces belonging and inclusion in EYFS.
Your GEC Report: Early Years Index tailored to developmental stage; Inclusion Audit benchmarks EYFS leadership.
With GEC Support: CPD on inclusive EYFS pedagogy, plus coaching on adapting environments for belonging.
Personal Development and Wellbeing
What Ofsted Looks For: Schools develop pupils’ resilience, confidence, and wellbeing.
How the GEC Platform helps:
Captures pupil wellbeing, belonging, and representation.
Provides staff insights on workload, wellbeing, and culture.
Your GEC Report: Student Index on wellbeing and safety, Staff Index on workload and belonging, and Inclusion Audit on leadership culture.
With GEC Support: CPD on wellbeing & resilience, plus expert coaching on embedding inclusive wellbeing strategies.
Sixth Form
What Ofsted Looks For: Inclusive post-16 provision that prepares students to flourish.
How the GEC Platform helps:
Captures sixth-form voice on belonging, wellbeing, and inclusion.
Identifies intersectional barriers (SEND, socio-economic, care-experience).
Your GEC Report: Sixth Form Index on inclusion in curriculum, teaching, and guidance; dashboards highlight transition outcomes.
With GEC Support: CPD on inclusive post-16 provision and career pathways, plus coaching on embedding student voice.
Independent Schools
What Ofsted Looks For: Safeguarding, inclusive culture, and curriculum diversity.
How the GEC Platform helps:
Aligns with independent school frameworks.
Provides sector-specific benchmarking.
Your GEC Report: Inclusion Audit adapted for independents; Staff & Student Indexes highlight wellbeing, inclusion, and representation.
With GEC Support: CPD tailored for independent contexts and GEC Circle coaching for bespoke strategies.
GEC Inclusion and Belonging Scorecard
Understand if your setting is on track to build a culture of belonging with our simple scorecard.
How you might score:
01 - 31: You’re at the start of the journey. We’re here to help.
32 - 60: You’ve taken positive steps, now let’s get you there.
61 - 81: You’re on the path to a culture of belonging. We can show the data to prove it.
Achieve - Belong - Thrive
Achieve - Belong - Thrive
How the GEC Platform Drives Long-Term Improvement With You
The GEC Platform is not just about meeting Ofsted’s current criteria; it’s a powerful tool for continuous improvement. By providing schools with actionable data that drives evidence-based decision-making, personalised coaching recommendations, and a tailored digital action plan, the platform ensures that every leader has the resources to drive change.
In addition, with inbuilt training for all staff and access to the GEC Library — housing best practices and expert insights — the platform supports schools in focusing on inclusion, disadvantage, belonging, and equity. Powered by our ‘Circle,’ the world’s largest collective of education DEI experts, the GEC Platform helps schools create an environment where every student, regardless of background, can achieve, belong and thrive.
Let’s Move From Meeting Standards to Setting Them!
Ready to enhance and evidence your inclusion practices and meet Ofsted’s new expectations? Learn more about the GEC Platform today and discover how our data-driven insights can support you in creating a more inclusive, equitable school environment. Together, let’s ensure that every student can Achieve, Belong, and Thrive.
Choose one of the three options and let’s talk:
Our founder, Nic Ponsford, has produced a series of videos that walk you through the features and benefits of our platform.
Book a FREE consultancy session with the team so we can help better understand your context and discuss support.
When you're ready, become a member and we'll help you get started with a Self Assessment.
Don’t just take our word for it.
“Pupil voice, respect, equality, and diversity are at the very core of what makes our school communities thrive. It is this shared belief that makes me proud to work alongside the GEC in their mission to transform ordinary classrooms into spaces that are extraordinarily inclusive. The GEC Platform offers school leaders the tools to demonstrate genuine inclusion and well-being, guiding you from an initial audit through to meaningful collective action, supported by a network of over 400 experts. If you are committed to measuring what truly matters and practising intentional inclusion, consider becoming a GEC Member today.”
Luke Ramsden, GEC Champion and Deputy Headteacher, St Benedict's School, London.
Reviews
See how we’re shaping positive cultures. View our Case studies >
“Working with the GEC has allowed us to challenge negative attitudes and stereotypes, whilst providing our students with a greater understanding of an evolving society we live in.”
Pioneer Secondary Academy
“The data provided by the GEC has been instrumental in informing our action plan for EDIB and identifying what we need need to do in school to facilitate belonging for all stakeholders.”
British International School of Chicago
“This isn’t just another mark to put on your letterhead; this is a springboard to real and ongoing whole-scale organisational change and development”
Discovery Schools Academy Trust
“Approachable team, very supportive and the surveys are thorough - a great way to get a DEI snapshot in a school.”
International School of Lausanne, Switzerland
“The GEC Platform is sensational. The overall findings have been incredibly useful, leading us to consider elements of our approach that we have not thought about before ”
The Duston School
“Nic and Gemma have been amazing - so helpful when I have had questions. They respond quickly and are always supportive - they ensure I don't feel silly for asking.”
Batley Multi Academy Trust
