Inspectorate
In order to maintain the best standards of education,
all independent schools are regularly inspected. This is done by one of two
independent bodies: the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) and Ofsted.
The Independent Schools Inspectorate
If your child's school is part of the Independent Schools Council (ISC), then it will almost certainly be inspected
at some point by the ISI. More than 1,200 independent schools are members of the ISC; if you are not sure whether
or not your child's school is one of them, you can search for it using the
ISI's report finder.
The ISI will look at all aspects of the school, from the upkeep of the buildings to the welfare of pupils at
boarding schools, as well as the quality of the actual teaching. The body has achieved the highest grade possible
in its most recent annual inspection, undertaken by Ofsted.
Schools will receive five working days' notice of an inspection, and most will contact parents as soon as they are
informed that one is to occur. In the days before the inspection begins, you will be invited to take part in a
confidential questionnaire. This will enable you to raise any issues you have about the school, so take the
opportunity if you have any concerns.
During the inspection, the ISI's team will interview students, observe lessons and other activities around the school,
and look at samples of the pupils' work. This can seem disruptive,
but inspectors are trained to interfere with students' learning as little as possible.
The ISI will present its report to the school within four working weeks. The school will then have another two
working weeks to distribute a copy of this to parents. After this time period has passed,
the report will be published on the ISI's website, where all schools'
reports can be found.
Ofsted
Independent schools that are not members of the ISC will be inspected by the Office for Standards in Education,
Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted). This impartial body assesses the standard of education provided in a huge
range of institutions, including nurseries and probation services, as well as independent schools.
Ofsted believes that, in order to get the most accurate picture of what a school is like, inspections should be as
much of a surprise as possible. As such, schools will only hear about an inspection at around midday the working day
before the inspection occurs.
The school is then required to notify the parents of all its students. This will be the case even if your child is
away from school that day, so you should always be aware when an inspection is happening.
During the inspection, the inspectors will spend most of their time observing lessons. They will also hold
discussions with students and staff, and scrutinise pupils' work. A typical inspection lasts no longer than two days,
although they can be extended in some circumstances.
Ofsted will write a report, which will be given to the school within ten working days of the inspection. It will then
be published on Ofsted's website within 15 working days of the inspection. This can be searched to find the reports
of all the institutions Ofsted has inspected, to assist parents looking to make an informed decision about what
school to choose.
Sources
http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/inspection-reports/find-inspection-report
http://www.isc.co.uk/
http://www.isi.net/images/Inspection info for parents factsheet JR edit 050213.pdf
http://www.isi.net/news/0-0/ofsted-give-isi-highest-rating/