Statutory Inspection of Anglican & Methodist Schools (SIAMS)

SIAMS Inspections in Church of England Schools

Voluntary or foundation schools with a religious character must ensure that denominational education and collective worship are inspected under Section 48 of the Education Act 2005. For Church of England schools, this is carried out by SIAMS (Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools).

What does SIAMS focus on?

SIAMS looks at how the school’s Christian vision shapes every aspect of school life and helps pupils and adults flourish. Each school expresses its vision differently, so inspectors do not expect a set template. They do, however, look for a vision that is theologically rooted and drives school improvement.

The SIAMS Framework

The current framework (September 2023) guides all SIAMS judgements. Leaders should understand the school’s vision, its theological basis, and its impact.

Inspection Judgements

J1: The school is living up to its Church foundation and enabling pupils and adults to flourish.

J2: The school has strengths but also issues that need urgent attention.

How the Diocese Education Team is Involved

Before the inspection, the SIAMS inspector meets with the Assistant Director of Education from the Diocese. This meeting helps the inspector gather key information about:

• The school’s relationship with the Diocese
• Diocese training that has been attended
• The impact of its theologically rooted vision
• The effectiveness of its Church school distinctiveness

After the inspection, the Assistant Director of Education attends the feedback session led by the inspector to hear the findings and next steps.

Training for Staff and Governors

The Diocese Education Team runs termly SIAMS Workshops, which are the only sessions focused on the inspection process and framework. All other training is designed to help schools be the best Church schools they can be, rather than focusing on inspection.

We strongly recommend that schools send staff and governors on a rotation basis between inspections (every 5 years). This ensures that as many people as possible understand the expectations of the SIAMS framework and can support the school effectively.

For more details and resources, visit: Inspections — National Society for Education
If you have questions, please contact our Assistant Director of Education - Katrina Carroll