Ofsted and DfE
SIAMS
The education team is here to support school improvement to provide ‘life in all its fullness’ day by day for all the members of your school community. The reality of regular inspections (both Ofsted and SIAMS) means that we are also there to support you in preparing for these ‘snapshots’ of the life of the school.
Since April 2021, there are changes to the national and local roles and responsibilities in relation to SIAMS as follows:
Dioceses will be responsible for:
- Advice on developing Christian distinctiveness
- Training for schools
- School reviews and support for schools
The national team will be responsible for:
- Scheduling, including allocation of inspectors to school and notification of school (and diocese) when an inspection is to take place, the collation of reports and the payment of inspectors
- Initial training of inspectors and the ongoing inspector training
- A national ‘Duty desk’ to provide support for inspectors during inspections
- A new system of quality assurance of inspections with targeted shadowing and feedback, and the quality assurance of reports which will be done with a centralised critical reading service
- A revised Appeals and Complaints process which will be managed centrally
- The publication of a SIAMS Annual Report - including thematic and quantitative trends
For further information about support for SIAMS, please contact: gemma.hitch@rochester.anglican.org
OFSTED
Our Church of England schools are regularly inspected by Ofsted to quality assure the standards of their educational provision.
Ofsted’s role is to make sure that organisations providing education, training and care services in England do so to a high standard for children and students.
During term-time, Ofsted carry out inspections and regulatory visits in schools throughout England and publish the results online. Ofsted report directly to Parliament and are independent and impartial.
For further information about support for Ofsted, please contact gemma.hitch@rochester.anglican.org
