ISI has considerable experience in inspecting British curriculum schools in a wide range of countries throughout the world and has established an unrivalled reputation for both the quality and the value of its inspections.
ISI has recently played a leading role in the development of the UK Government’s voluntary inspection scheme for British Schools Overseas and is approved by the UK Department for Education to inspect British Schools Overseas. The scheme enables British international schools to demonstrate that they provide a British education that has similar characteristics to those found in an independent school in the UK and show how the standards in their school measure up against the standards that apply to independent schools in the UK. This provides parents with an independent assessment of the quality of provision and outcomes for students within the inspected school and its comparability with independent schools in the United Kingdom.
As ISI inspects all of England's leading independent schools¹ and over 80% of the pupils educated in the independent sector in UK we are the only inspectorate with direct and current data for comparing standards in international schools with those across the full range of independent schools in Britain, including the best. Inspection teams are formed from a combination of UK based ISI inspectors and from the network of ISI trained overseas inspectors. Our unique methodology of peer review combines professional Reporting Inspectors leading teams with serving Headteachers and senior staff drawn from across the independent sector. Our inspectors are current practitioners who understand the issues and challenges facing schools every day and they produce balanced and objective reports that recognise the particular context and ethos of individual schools.
An ISI inspection is a holistic assessment that not only looks at the quality of teaching and learning but also at the wider development of the children, whilst also considering welfare, school leadership and the suitability of the school’s premises and accommodation. The aim is to produce a constructive and useful report that enables a school to plan and take forward its future development.
¹ See Times and Telegraph league tables
Schools’ Feedback
“We were delighted with the two teams who undertook our inspection. They were very professional, informative and very willing to give advice and make observations. They quickly understood the school and what it was aiming to achieve. We couldn’t have had a better team.”
“We were delighted with the whole experience and the conduct of the team was outstanding. (The RI) was sensitive to the school and provided excellent leadership. This report will be of enormous help to the school in moving forward.”
“I was really impressed with the inspection team; brilliantly led by the RI and all highly professional inspectors - a huge thank you to them for making the process as smooth and as stress free as possible yet leaving no stone unturned; a difficult balance to achieve so A**** to them!!!”
OFSTED Annual Monitoring Report 2010/11
“Headteachers and their staff were particularly complimentary about the conduct of the inspectors. They spoke highly of their professionalism, frequently commenting that inspectors approached their task in a “firm but fair way” which helped to put the school staff at ease.”
“Accurate and reliable inspection judgements were made, founded on a good range of evidence that included direct observation of lessons and discussions, and scrutiny of pupils’ work and the schools’ records.”
“Reports were clear about how the school could improve further.”
Inspections are available to any international school and can be individually tailored to meet a school's needs. Preferential rates are available to COBIS and ISC affiliated schools.
We are also able to provide entry level reviews for those schools wishing to begin the process of inspection. Reviews introduce a school to the inspection standards and the process itself, so that it is in a good position to engage fully in the inspection process at a later date.
Interested schools should contact international@isi.net for further information on structure and pricing and to book an inspection.
International Inspection Reports
On our reports page you can find the latest ISI international inspection reports including:
- The British School of Paris - 2011
- The British School of Beijing - 2011
- The British School, Al Khabairat, Abu Dhabi - 2011
- Lagos Preparatory School - 2011
Learning and Development for International Schools
ISI Consultancy Services provides support to international schools. We offer bespoke packages of support tailored to the needs of international schools. Our consultants bring a wide-range of experience gained in British and international settings. For more information on the Learning and Development support we offer visit the ISI Consultancy Services page or contact international@isi.net.