Ofsted pre-registration inspection All free schools must have an Ofsted pre-registration inspection before they can open. This inspection checks whether the school is meeting the Independent School Standards and is required before the school can be publically registered on the independent school’s register, also known as Get information about schools. The inspection happens in the later stages of pre-opening as certain tasks must be completed before the inspection can take place. For example, you will need to have developed some of your school’s written policies. The only situation where you would not need to undergo an Ofsted pre-registration inspection would be if there’s a ‘material change’ to your school.

Independent School Standards
The Ofsted pre-registration inspection differs from the type of Ofsted inspection the school will have when it is open. The purpose of the pre-registration inspection is to evaluate whether a school is meeting the Independent School Standards and therefore fit to open – it does not provide any judgement of quality. Your education plans and policies are considered throughout the pre-opening phase, and in particular at the readiness to open meeting with the Department for Education.

The areas covered in the pre-registration inspection are:

• Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils;
• Welfare, health and safety of pupils;
• Suitability of the proprietor and staff;
• Premises and accommodation;
• Provision of information for parents, carers and others;
• Procedures for handling complaints;
• Leadership and management.

We are happy to confirm that the Pre-Inspection went well and that the Tracey Hannon the HMI who carried out the inspection was impressed with the above areas covered in the inspection.

The school in the first two years will be working with an assigned education expert from the DFE. We will be expecting an Ofsted Inspection approximately towards the end of year two of opening the school.

We have monitoring in place and the Midsomer Norton Schools Partnership have robust systems in place to measure the performance of our schools.