Ofsted inspection of boarding schools
M
Much of the material in the previous
More information can be found at:
article Inspections of accredited
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/social-
independent boarding schools is
care-common-inspection-framework-
relevant to Ofsted’s inspection
sccif-boarding-schools
of boarding schools and I would recommend reading this article as
Most inspection activity was paused in
well. The material has not been
2020 as a result of COVID-19, but has now
repeated here as it is available on the
resumed.
previous pages.
The evaluation criteria for Ofsted
In England, Ofsted inspects all state
boarding inspections are used to make a
boarding schools and also those
judgement of the overall experiences and
independent schools not accredited
progress of children, taking into account:
by one of the five independent school associations (GSA, HMC, IAPS, ISA, Society of Heads). Unless a school requires improvement or there are immediate
• •
how well children are helped and protected the effectiveness of leaders and managers.
concerns, Ofsted inspects boarding once in a three-year cycle under the Social Care
Details can be found in the framework
Common Inspection Framework (SCCIF):
document.
boarding schools and residential special schools. This framework came into use
Reports do not comment in any detail on
on 1 April 2017, with minor updates most
the Boarding Schools: National Minimum
recently in November 2021.
Standards (NMS) but will state clearly any which are deemed not to have been met.
Inspections of boarding and education
Schools, and indeed Ofsted, consider
are fundamentally separate processes.
the NMS to be a minimum requirement
However, if the scheduled boarding and
which schools should aim to exceed
education inspections of a school fall
considerably.
within the same year, Ofsted will try to ensure the two inspections are aligned.
Dale Wilkins Director of Safeguarding, Professional Development and Accreditation, BSA Group
“Reports do not comment in any detail on the Boarding Schools: National Minimum Standards (NMS) but will state clearly any which are deemed not to have been met.”
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