Inspection and Reporting Policy
1. Introduction and purpose
Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education (HMIE)’s inspection and reporting policy aims to
support its strategic priorities of :
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giving assurance and bringing about improvements in standards and quality through
inspection and review;
building capacity for improvement;
giving professional, evidence-based advice; and
securing our own continuous improvement.
2. Inspection and reporting principles
The principles of inspection / review and reporting commit HMIE to:
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providing assurance to the public about the quality of education and services to protect
children being provided;
promoting improvement and successful innovation;
contributing to the Scottish Government’s measures for improvement in public services;
focusing on outcomes, impact and the quality of the learner’s experience;
building on self-evaluation;
proportionality, transparency and impartiality;
addressing value for money issues;
inspecting according to our core values and PRAISE framework; and
continually improving.
3. Roles and responsibilities
The Chief Inspector, Directorates 3/4 exercises a strategic overview of HMIE activity in this
area of inspection and reporting. SMG directs the work of IRSG in order to ensure alignment
between inspection/review activity and HMIE’s strategic objectives. An Assistant Chief
Inspector, reporting to the HMCI D3/4, will have responsibility for leading activities under
HMIE’s inspection and reporting strategy. The Lead Inspector (Inspection and Reporting)
will have responsibility for co-ordinating activities through chairing the Inspection and
Reporting Strategy Group (IRSG). This group has responsibility for implementing aspects of
the inspection and reporting strategy through liaison with HMIE quality groups in all
directorates and in particular with the Self-evaluation Quality Group and Best Value Group.
IRSG sets the corporate policy framework within which quality groups operate. This is to
ensure consistency as appropriate and conformance to essential elements of quality
assurance. Quality groups have responsibility to IRSG in this aspect or their work. IRSG
will ensure that quality groups discharge their responsibility for ensuring corporate
consistency across HMIE. Quality groups also play a key role in taking forward agreed
aspects of directorate work in response to Directorate Chief Inspectors and Directorate
Executive Groups. IRSG, in the context of setting the corporate framework for quality
assurance will require quality groups to:
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ensure that models of inspection, review and reporting in their sector take full and
appropriate account of the generic policy advice developed through IRSG;
This policy came into effect on 4.6.10 by HM Inspectorate of Education after adoption by HMIE
Senior Management Group and endorsement by HMIE Management Board. It supersedes all
previous versions.
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contribute to quality assuring reviews or inspections in their directorates by including
analysis of findings at a range of levels ;
use quality assurance to review the impact of inspection and review in their sectors;
provide advice to the Senior Management Group (SMG) via IRSG and commenting on
the future development, design and structure of quality indicator frameworks; and
provide assurance to SMG that they have formally undertaken their roles as set out
above.
The Inspection and Reporting strategy is agreed and formally endorsed through HMIE’s
Senior Management Group (SMG). Directorate 3/4 has corporate responsibility for this
strategy. IRSG has strategic oversight of the trends, patterns and issues arising from
inspection and, through the quality groups, ensures that there is internal consistency across
directorates and sectors.
4. Related Policies
The following policies / strategies adopted by HMIE or being formulated at the date of this
policy are of direct relevance to inspection and reporting and will be taken into account
where relevant.
- The HMIE Equality and Diversity Policy [signed off]
- The HMIE Safeguarding Policy [signed off]
- The HMIE IS Strategy [at final draft stage]
- The HMIE HR Strategy [signed off – but due for review June 2010]
- The HMIE Communications Strategy [at final draft stage]
These cross-cutting policies and procedures apply across all aspects of our work, including
inspection and review in all sectors.
5. Policy implementation, Maintenance and quality assurance arrangements
IRSG comprises key individuals nominated by SMG as well as lead inspectors (LIs) who
normally chair their respective quality group. The membership of IRSG ensures that all
inspection and reporting work, as well as the implications of work such as validated selfevaluation (VSE) and follow-through is part of the purview of the group. IRSG will liaise with
sectoral LIs who play a lead role in ensuring that quality groups monitor and analyse the
data emerging from inspection and reporting across their sector. This will include, for
example, analysis of the pattern of QIs including at the level of individual inspectors, the
quality of reports and RIFs and feedback from stakeholder questionnaires and surveys. The
quality groups then provide high level analysis to IRSG to inform discussion of the
effectiveness of inspection models or actions required. Responsibility for the development of
specific guidelines and procedures in particular sectors of education is delegated to
individual directorates. Quality groups for each inspection and review sector oversee this
process. This will include ensuring that the models reflect the distinctiveness of the sector
as well as assuring alignment with the organisation’s overarching principles of inspection
and review.
6. Review arrangements
This policy will be reviewed in 2012-13
This policy came into effect on 4.6.10 by HM Inspectorate of Education after adoption by HMIE
Senior Management Group and endorsement by HMIE Management Board. It supersedes all
previous versions.
The inspection and reporting strategy arising from this policy will cover the period 2012-13
and will take account of any amended or additional strategic priorities arising from the
development of HMIE’s corporate plan 2011 - 2014
7. Contact details
Any comments or queries on this policy should be addressed to:
Business Management and Communications Team, HM Inspectorate of Education, 2nd
Floor, Denholm House, Almondvale Way, Livingston EH54 6GA
Telephone: 01506 600265
e-mail: bmct@hmie.gsi.gov.uk
This policy came into effect on 4.6.10 by HM Inspectorate of Education after adoption by HMIE
Senior Management Group and endorsement by HMIE Management Board. It supersedes all
previous versions.