1. All inspectors must have deep knowledge and understanding of:
  2. The reporting inspector will review pre-inspection information, prior to the inspection notification to the school, including information held by ISI and information available on the school's public website and in the public domain. Inspectors must not access the school's own protected portal in advance of the notification call to the school.
  3. The reporting inspector must consider the following information when planning the onsite inspection:
    • previous inspection reports
    • information about the context of the school held on ISI's portal
    • any concerns held by the DfE and recorded on the ISI inspector portal. Those concerns received since the previous inspection must be considered when planning the inspection
    • information held on Get Information About Schools including the name of the proprietor(s) and other contextual information. This information must be checked during the pre-inspection call with the headteacher
    • information about the context of the school, its aims and achievements available on the school's website or held by ISI
    • school policies and other information for parents available on the school's website including for attainment, safeguarding, behaviour, and relationships and sex education (where applicable)
    • other information in the public domain, including from the results of an internet search
    • any relevant safeguarding information shared with the reporting inspector following the routine pre-inspection phone call to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO).
  4. Where the DfE holds concerns about the school which must be considered on inspection, inspectors must avoid revealing the source of any concerns provided in confidence. However, inspectors should clarify to the headteacher which area of provision that the concern relates to. Inspectors will not investigate the specific concern. They will normally consider the potential wider issues that the concern raises. Inspectors will want to assure themselves that the issues the concern raises do not indicate that any Standards are unmet. Inspectors will triangulate evidence to reach their judgements.
  5. The reporting inspector will use the analysis of the pre-inspection information to shape the inspection. Importantly, inspectors will want to evaluate the evidence of leaders' decision making and the impact of that decision making for pupils in all areas of the ISI Framework.
  6. In the days preceding notification of the inspection, the reporting inspector will convene a virtual team meeting at a time that is suitable for all members of the team to attend. The reporting inspector will:
    • brief the inspection team sharing pre-inspection information
    • draw on the expertise and experience of the inspection team to allocate areas of inspection focus for each team inspector. Team inspectors with no teaching experience may not conduct lesson observations, discussions with pupils or other inspection activities related to pupils’ education
    • provide guidance about how to use the virtual team room on ISI’s portal and explain that all communication should be made through the virtual team room and not by email
    • provide guidance about how to use and complete the inspection activity forms and evaluative summaries, which must be completed following each inspection activity
    • explain that the prompts provided in the inspection activity forms are provided for guidance and that all inspectors must be familiar with the contents of the inspection framework and the inspection handbook, The Statutory Framework for the Early years foundation stage as well as Keeping Children Safe in Education and Working together to safeguard children. The reporting inspector may wish to provide the team with additional prompts based on the specific context of the school and the inspection. These can be provided on a document uploaded to the inspectors’ section of the virtual team room.
    • share practical information including for travel
    • make clear their expectations of the team and guidance on team deployment, reminding the inspection team of the code of conduct and other essential information. 
  7. Prior to the onsite inspection the reporting inspector will share with the inspection team a summary of any pre-inspection information that cannot be shared in full with the team, for example in relation to sensitive personal data.