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Inspections/accreditation for private schools

14 replies

IWannaBeLikeYou · 13/09/2007 14:42

I cannot find some of the private schools in my area on the Independent Schools Council website. Are there any other councils or associations of independent schools I could check? I know what is important is one's "feel" about a school, but still it would give a plus of confidence if the school is accredited in some way.

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IWannaBeLikeYou · 13/09/2007 15:14

No one?

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SueW · 13/09/2007 15:24

I checked at the ISC website and all the local-to-me ones I know of are all listed.

Perhaps you could give them a call and ask them to send you a copy of their most recent inspection and a prospectus?

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MarinaLaPasionaria · 13/09/2007 15:31

The ISC is the "blanket" body, covering registration under IAPS etc.
I would give them a call, myself. I would prefer some kind of accreditation too.

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IWannaBeLikeYou · 13/09/2007 15:32

I've actually arranged to visit some of these schools and was thinking of asking the question, but I don't know if it would be out of place on first visit ...?

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claricebeansmum · 13/09/2007 15:33

Good question for the first visit - find out who checks up on them

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MarinaLaPasionaria · 13/09/2007 15:33

Lack of accreditation isn't necessarily a bad thing, but IMO a school should be ready with a sound answer as to why they have not chosen to be accredited via one of the ISC routes.

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Cammelia · 13/09/2007 18:26

My dd's school belongs to IAPS

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SueW · 13/09/2007 22:28

DD's school didn't belong to IAPS until recently but that was because it was a new school and it had to show it had achieved certain things to gain entry. It was granted membership iirc after its first inspection a couple of years ago.

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IWannaBeLikeYou · 14/09/2007 10:58

Thanks for all the answers.
I checked the IAPS website and the Independent Schools Inspectorate and can't find two of the schools in my area. I find this rather strange, as none of them is a new school and they seem to have good reputation, or at least long waiting lists.
I will ask the question when I go to visit.

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Hulababy · 14/09/2007 10:59

If the school is a primary, it may well have had OFSTED too - for the reception age class.

If you can't find anything, ask the school. Do they have links via a website to the inspection reports? The school should be able to provide you with access to a copy of any reports.

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Cammelia · 14/09/2007 11:15

All schools have ofsted I believe

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IWannaBeLikeYou · 14/09/2007 11:47

Ok. I found the schools on Ofstead. One of them only has a report for the nursery.

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MarinaLaPasionaria · 14/09/2007 11:52

AFAIK, basically, after concerns were raised that non-ISC member schools were not being inspected by anyone, an agreement was reached that all non-member schools would be inspected by OFSTED. This catch-up process is still underway Iwannabe, so maybe the other school hasn't yet been done.

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LIZS · 14/09/2007 12:28

ISCIS and IAPS are the mainones . Reception wodul be Ofsteded and possibly after school care too.

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