The inspectors view; what are they looking for?
The school view; how do we get ready?
All independent schools, whether large or small, rely on their reputations as centres of excellence for teaching, learning, assessment, wellbeing, care and guidance. This is doubly so in times of economic challenge. Ensuring a great outcome in your next inspection is part of building and maintaining your reputation.
Inspections can happen at any time. Being ready and knowing how to present your school in a way that will assist and guide the inspecting team is a key part of the successful outcome for your school that you need. This masterclass will take you into the minds of the inspecting team so that you can see your school from their perspective, and help you to start to build an indisputable bank of evidence to present to them, whenever they appear.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
Heads, Deputies and Assistant Heads wishing to better understand how to help colleagues prepare for inspection.
KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVES
By the end of this masterclass, participants will be able to:
Understand how the ISI framework is applied in practice, including how inspectors evaluate pupils’ achievement and personal development.
Apply the Independent School Standards across the school, ensuring consistency between stated provision and pupils’ day-to-day experience.
Lead inspection readiness with confidence, through clear systems, staff understanding and coherent practice.
Develop an accurate and proportionate approach to self-evaluation, including the effective use of a concise SEF.
Use the ISI framework to inform ongoing school improvement, including recognising and articulating areas of significant strength.
FACILITATOR
Mike is a Senior Inspection Associate for JMC Education. He has experience in secondary education, all-through schools and boarding, and has held a variety of leadership posts in London and elsewhere. He helped to establish three statefunded schools in London and Kent. He is or has been a trustee of several independent and state schools in the UK and internationally, a trustee of a children’s charity and a literary festival, a Reporting Inspector, a UK National Leader of Education and a Chair of Turner Schools.
Mike is the Founder of Positively Leading, a bespoke coaching/mentoring and strategy consultancy and is Executive Head of the world’s leading academy for elite skiers - Apex2100. He was most recently the Executive Director of HMC, the English-speaking world’s oldest association of Head Teachers. As a Head, he oversaw the transformation of a small girls’ school to a thriving all-age, co-educational day/boarding, independent school of over 1,000 children and young people. Ashford School was awarded Independent School of the Year during his tenure.
