Preparing for inspection – ISI & Ofsted
🏷️ From £175
🎧 Heads, deputy heads, boarding staff
📍 Online
✅ Included in BSA CPD Pass
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
Speaker:
Dale Wilkins, FTIOB, Executive Director, Scotland/Wales and Accredited/Compliance
Dale joined the BSA in 2017 to lead safeguarding, inspection, and compliance across the UK, building on his experience as a course tutor since 1998. He works closely with ISI, Ofsted, and the DfE, while also overseeing the Group’s work in Scotland and Wales. A trainer and consultant for BSA and SACPA, he is Vice Chair of SAFCAB. Dale previously spent 31 years as a boarding practitioner, including roles as Housemaster and Deputy Head at Old Swinford Hospital. Beyond education, he trains for the Methodist Church, is a charity trustee, chairs a performing arts organisation, and volunteers widely.
Sue Duff,
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.
