1. Most inspections are announced to the headteacher on the morning of the day before the onsite inspection is due to start. Notification calls are made by a member of the ISI delivery team. In the absence of the headteacher, the most senior member of staff at the school will be notified. The notification call will confirm the dates of the inspection and the name of the inspectors on the team. The school will be informed if the inspection will be quality assured onsite and/or if a shadow is to be attached to the inspection.
  2. The reporting inspector will be informed once the notification call has been completed.
  3. Following the notification call, the delivery team will email the headteacher with confirmation of the inspection including the names of the inspection team members and the links to the online parent, pupil and staff surveys. The school will be asked to distribute the links to the surveys as soon as possible following the notification call.
  4. The headteacher will be informed that the reporting inspector will contact them by telephone, usually within two hours of the notification call.
  5. Any decision to defer an inspection is taken by the DfE. If the school wishes to request deferral of the inspection the headteacher, or their delegated senior leader, must email ISI explaining the circumstances and the reasons for the request. ISI will forward the deferral request to the DfE. The DfE will decide if the inspection should go ahead. While awaiting the DfE’s decision, inspection planning will continue.

    Once the onsite inspection has started, a deferral is no longer possible. In exceptional circumstances, ISI can take the decision to pause an inspection. Either the reporting inspector or headteacher may request a pause by contacting ISI’s head office. A senior member of ISI staff will consider any requests. ISI will seek the views of the headteacher when making a decision and will liaise with the DfE.