ISI inspections of independent schools are required to:
- report to the DfE the extent to which ISC schools comply with the Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2010 and later amendments (referred to as the ‘regulatory requirements');
- where applicable, report to DfE on compliance with the requirements of the National Minimum Standards (NMS) for boarding schools;
- where applicable, report to Ofsted on compliance with the requirements of the Childcare Act 2006 including the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS);
- assure ISC Associations that their member schools maintain the quality of provision expected;
- help schools to improve, and inform parents of the quality of member schools.
Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI)
ISI is a body approved for the purpose of inspection under Section 162A of the Education Act 2005. As such, it reports to the Department for Education on the extent to which schools meet statutory requirements. The quality of its service is monitored by Ofsted on behalf of the DfE.
Quality, in all ISA schools, is assured by their regular inspection by the Independent Schools Inspectorate which is itself monitored by Ofsted.
EYFS exemptions
EYFS exemptions
As from 26 October independent schools can opt-out of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework.
Ofsted
The framework for inspecting education in non-association independent schoolshttp://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/framework-for-inspecting-education-non-association-independent-schools
Types of school Ofsted inspects
- Maintained schools and academies – nursery, primary (infant and junior), secondary, community special, independent (non-maintained) special, boarding, residential special schools, pupil referral units and service children’s education.
- Independent schools – can cover different age ranges from 3 to 18; includes boarding schools and residential special schools.
Independent school
Independent schools provide full-time education to five or more pupils of compulsory school age, or one or more pupils with a statement of special educational needs, or in public care. The Department for Education registers independent schools.
There are around 2,400 independent schools in England, but the educational provision of only half of them is inspected by Ofsted. The schools Ofsted inspects are known as ‘non-association schools’. Inspections are carried out at the request of the Department for Education.
There are three other independent inspectorates which inspect the provision of the other independent schools in England also at the request of the Department for Education. These are known as ‘association’ schools:
- the Independent Schools Inspectorate inspects schools whose headteachers belong to one of the associations that make up the Independent Schools Council
- the School Inspection Service inspects schools that belong to the Focus Learning Trust
- the Bridge Schools Inspectorate inspects schools linked to the Christian Schools’ Trust or the Association of Muslim Schools.
We monitor the work of these independent inspectorates on behalf of the Department for Education to ensure the quality and consistency of their inspections and reports. Our arrangements for communicating and working with the independent inspectorates is set out in the document Protocolbetween Ofsted and the approved independent inspectorates. This protocol has been agreed by Ofsted, the Department for Education, the Independent Schools Inspectorate, the Bridge Schools Inspectorate and the School Inspection Service.
Standards
http://media.education.gov.uk/assets/files/pdf/c/271112_web%20consolidated%20version%20-%20independent%20school%20standards%20regulations%202010.pdf
The Education (Independent School Standards) (England)
Regulations 2010
S.I. 2010 No. 1997
as in force from 1 January 2013
