Equity Scorecard for schools
The Equity Scorecard is a reflective improvement tool combining evidence-informed best bets and practitioner insight to help schools strengthen equity-informed improvement.
It has been developed by the South-West Social Mobility Commission (SWSMC) and is available to download for free. All the resources you need to use the Scorecard can be found below. The Scorecard is part of our wider equity work that includes working with teacher leaders, trusts and groups of schools to help with guided implementation of equity best bets and long-term improvement.
“Going through the process has sharpened our focus on disadvantage.” – South West school leader
Getting Started
Read this short guide that introduces the Equity Scorecard, reasons for using it, and what to expect. It also introduces our wider Equity Offer comprising professional development opportunities and multi-year guided implementation support.
The Equity Scorecard Tool
We have developed similar but separate tools for secondary and primary schools. Click to download the relevant tool.
You can also view what a completed Scorecard should look like for secondary (here) and primary (here).
Additional Resources
For a more detailed understanding of the rationale and evolution of the Scorecard, you can read our update report which includes our pilot findings (2026) and original Scorecard report (2024).
To understand how the Scorecard aligns with the Ofsted Inspection Framework (2025), we have produced Ofsted mapping documents.
Schoolsweek article: How our new equity scorecard helps schools close the gaps
Benchmarking
Coming soon.
Equity Case Study Library
We are curating a collection of real-world case studies showcasing how schools and other organisations are applying equity-focused approaches in practice. Each case study highlights impact and implementation challenges, offering practical insights and inspiration for those trying to improve equity in their setting.
We are looking for further case studies to showcase. If you would like to submit a case study, please get in touch with us EquityScorecard@Exeter.ac.uk.
Leading Educational Equity
Our leadership programme for school and trust leaders, exploring the organisational change and implementation challenge needed to embed an equity approach.
Contact
If you have any questions about the Equity Scorecard that aren’t answered above, please get in touch at EquityScorecard@Exeter.ac.uk.
If you are interested in the Equity Offer beyond the Scorecard, please get in touch with Professor Lee Elliot Major at l.elliot-major@exeter.ac.uk.
