The latest Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) framework represents a structured and holistic approach to evaluating the multifaceted aspects of school life. It emphasises the following key areas:

Leadership and Management, and Governance

This section highlights the importance of leadership at all levels within the school, not just at the senior leadership level. Inspectors will distinguish between governance responsibilities and those of executive leadership and management, ensuring a clear understanding of roles and accountability.

Pupils’ Education, Training, and Recreation

The framework mandates a detailed evaluation of the quality of education, including clear reporting on pupils’ progress and outcomes. This focus ensures that the academic and co-curricular offerings are effectively meeting students' needs.

Pupils’ Physical and Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing

Schools are evaluated on their support for students' physical and mental health, guided by relevant standards and statutory requirements. This ensures that schools provide a safe and nurturing environment for all students.

Pupils’ Social and Economic Wellbeing and Contribution to Society

This section includes an evaluation of the school’s careers provision, preparing students for future economic participation and their roles in society.

Safeguarding

The final section focuses on safeguarding, ensuring that students are protected from harm and neglect in accordance with statutory guidance. This area is crucial for maintaining a safe educational environment.

The framework adopts an integrated approach, recognising the interconnected nature of different standards and promoting a comprehensive understanding of school operations. It incorporates the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014, the National Minimum Standards for boarding schools, and the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework.

How SchooliP Can Help

SchooliP is a school improvement and professional development solution that significantly aids schools in aligning with the ISI framework through the following ways:

Leadership and Management

• Performance Management: SchooliP allows for comprehensive performance management across all levels of staff, ensuring that leadership and management practices are monitored and improved continuously.
• Role Clarity: By defining and tracking roles and responsibilities, SchooliP helps distinguish between varying roles in the organisation, facilitating clearer accountability and oversight.

"The system is very user-friendly and easy to navigate." - Sadie Lapper, Tudor Hall School

Pupils’ Education, Training, and Recreation

• Monitoring Forms: Evaluators can use SchooliP’s monitoring forms to assess staff performance. These forms enable detailed recording of observations and evaluations, ensuring that educational practices meet the set standards.
• Self-Evaluations: SchooliP facilitates self-evaluations where staff can make notes and upload evidence/documents highlighting progress, promoting a reflective and evidence-based approach to teaching and learning.

"The system is very flexible and adaptable." - Vicky Nelson,  Babington House School

Pupils’ Physical and Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing

• Wellbeing Surveys and 360 Monitoring: SchooliP supports 360 monitoring and can conduct and analyse wellbeing surveys to monitor physical and mental health, helping schools identify and address issues proactively.
• Policy Management: SchooliP includes policy management features that help schools maintain compliance with statutory guidance related to health and wellbeing, ensuring that all policies are up-to-date and adhered to.

"The ability to keep data all in one place is extremely beneficial for us as a school.” Wellingborough School

Safeguarding

• Quality Assurance: SchooliP supports quality assurance in safeguarding by providing a secure and efficient way to monitor safeguarding, ensuring compliance with statutory guidelines.
• Training and Compliance: The platform helps in managing staff training and ensuring all safeguarding policies are up to date and adhered to.

"The integration with our existing systems is seamless." - Vicky Nelson, Babington House School

Conclusion

The latest ISI framework provides a thorough and interconnected approach to evaluating school operations, emphasising leadership, education quality, student wellbeing, and safeguarding. SchooliP can effectively support schools in meeting these standards by offering tools for performance management, monitoring forms, self-evaluations, well-being monitoring, and safeguarding compliance. By leveraging SchooliP, schools can ensure continuous improvement and adherence to the ISI framework, ultimately enhancing the educational experience and outcomes for their students.