Who inspects independent schools?

All independent schools are subject to regular, rigorous inspection to ensure that standards are maintained and reports are published. In the event that there are any shortcomings in meeting registration standards, action plans are created and follow-up inspections take place to monitor a school's progress towards rectifying any issues identified.

In England, the Department for Education has inspection agreements with Ofsted, the Independent Schools Inspectorate (which inspects schools that are in membership of Independent Schools Council associations), the Schools Inspection Service (which inspects registered schools that are affiliated either to the Focus Learning Trust or to the Steiner Waldorf Schools' Fellowship) and the Bridge Schools' Inspectorate (which inspects schools in England that are affiliated either to the Christian Schools Trust or to the Association of Muslim Schools).

Independent schools in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are inspected by their own national inspectorate bodies.

Schools must maintain their standards in order to retain their status as registered independent schools.

Inspection of Boarding Schools

The Independent Schools Inspectorate works in partnership with Ofsted for the inspection of national boarding standards. ISI inspections always include consideration of the impact of boarding on pupils’ educational  development. However, detailed inspection of boarding provision is carried out by Ofsted inspectors and, wherever possible, ISI and Ofsted inspections are conducted together.  Each inspection team produces its own report, which is sent to all parents of pupils at the school.

Responsibility for inspection of boarding welfare is being transferred to the ISI and will be undertaken in line with the new National Minimum Standards published in July 2011. Integrated inspections, commencing early in 2012, will include inspection of the school, the Early Years Foundation Stage and boarding welfare requirements, where applicable.