Preparing for inspection – ISI & Ofsted

🏷️ From £175
🎧 Heads, deputy heads, boarding staff
📍 Online

Course outline:

Preparing for Boarding Inspection: Compliance, Culture, and Continuous Improvement

Schools are increasingly familiar with the expectations of regular inspection. However, evolving legislation, updated frameworks, and sector-specific developments mean that ongoing preparation and reflection are essential. This virtual day seminar is designed for both those new to inspection and those seeking to refresh their knowledge and approach.

The session offers practical strategies for inspection readiness, explores updates to key legislation and guidance, and highlights ways schools can go beyond compliance to secure the best possible outcomes for pupils.

Content will reference the National Minimum Standards (2022), Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE 2025), and reflect on school responses to the Everyone’s Invited movement, Ofsted Review, and developments within the new ISI inspection framework.

This training is suitable for schools at any stage in the inspection cycle.

Training topics will include:

• Key updates in statutory guidance, including KCSIE 2025 and the National Minimum Standards (NMS 2022)
• Preparing for inspection: understanding the framework and gathering relevant evidence
• Moving beyond compliance: promoting excellence in pupil outcomes and safeguarding practice
• Embedding a cycle of internal audit, review, and continuous improvement beyond inspection

Learning outcomes:

By the end of the session, participants will:

• Understand how to effectively prepare for inspection visits
• Be up to date with the latest guidance and legislative developments impacting inspections
• Identify practical actions to go beyond minimum standards and promote best practice
• Gain tools and recommendations to implement a regular audit and self-review process

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Speaker: 

Dale Wilkins, Executive Director, Scotland/Wales and Accredited/Compliance

Dale joined the BSA during Summer 2017 with responsibility for safeguarding and standards, having previously been a course tutor since 1998.  Dale leads on all safeguarding, inspection and compliance matters for BSA Group, including liaising with ISI, Ofsted and DfE in England, and leading on the group’s work in Scotland and Wales. He trains and delivers consultancy extensively for BSA and SACPA and is Vice Chair of the Group’s Safeguarding and Child Protection Advisory Board (SAFCAB).

For 31 years Dale was a boarding practitioner. After boarding positions at Norwich School and Tettenhall College, Dale became a Housemaster at Old Swinford Hospital in 1992, and was promoted to Deputy Head in 2007, and subsequently also DSL. He has also been a multi-agency trainer for the Dudley Safeguarding Children’s Board, is a safeguarding trainer for the Methodist Church, is a trustee of the National Youth String Orchestra and chair of a small performing arts charity. He also holds volunteer roles in sport and in the Scout Association.

Sue Duff, Education Professional, Inspector, Consultant, Trainer, Trustee, Governor & Director

Following a successful career in commerce, culminating in a senior position in a world leading market research organisation, Sue made the transition to teaching in the independent sector.  Having worked in prep, GSA and HMC environments, she has a breadth of experience across the independent schools sector. Sue has always focussed on boarding in her teaching career having set up two houses from scratch as well as running boarding teams. Before the leap to self employment, she was on the Senior Leadership Team at one of the country’s premier HMC boarding schools, having led the integration of the school into a fully co-educational environment and held various management positions.  Sue now works with schools, both in the UK and worldwide, as an inspector and consultant predominantly looking at boarding, pastoral and academic systems, helping to improve the outcomes that pupils experience.  She also works on whole school compliance projects.  Sue has worked with the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) since 2011 and is a Lead/Reporting Inspector, also inspecting for AEGIS and COBIS. She has been working with the BSA undertaking consultancy and training for almost 20 years. Sue is vice-chair of Governors at a large HMC co-ed school in Worcestershire.