Schools will usually be inspected within 5 years. During the post-covid period schools will receive their first inspection within 8 years, then scheduling wil return to a 5 year cycle.
Schools that have converted to academy status continue to be inspected on the same cycle.
A SIAMS inspection is not linked in any way to a school’s OfSTED inspection timing or grading. This means that SIAMS inspections are scheduled independently of OfSTED section 5 inspections.
On occasion, a school’s SIAMS and Ofsted inspections will be scheduled on the same day, or there may be a no-notice Ofsted inspection once the SIAMS inspection has begun. In such a situation the SIAMS inspection will be rearranged. If a no-notice Ofsted inspection were to commence once the inspector has arrived at the school, the inspector must contact the SIAMS Duty Desk, and the inspection will be rescheduled.
It is for the SIAMS National Team to schedule the inspection date. Once notification of an inspection has been given the inspection will take place within 5 working days.
The National SIAMS team provides a list of schools due inspection in the following academic year during the summer term. This list is available on the SIAMS Website.
The school receives a phone call from a member of the National SIAMS team usually 5 working days before the inspection is scheduled. This phone call informs the school of the forthcoming inspection and of the name of the inspector. If the executive headteacher/headteacher is not available the person who is in charge of the school on that day will be contacted so that notification is not delayed. A follow-up email will be sent confirming details. The notice period is no more than 5 working days.
The inspector will contact the school shortly after notification (the same or next day). There will be an initial telephone conversation to discuss with the headteacher, or if they are not available the person in charge of the school, key aspects of the inspection process and request any documentation. The documentation should be provided for the inspection within 24 hours of this discussion.
There may be a small number of cases in which exceptional circumstances or concerns in a school warrant consideration of a deferred inspection. Please refer to the SIAMS Inspection Deferral Policy for further information.
Any complaint about a Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS) inspection is a serious matter. The SIAMS Appeals and Complaints Policy addresses concerns raised by schools.
It is the duty of the governing body of a voluntary or foundation school with a religious character to ensure that any denominational education given to pupils, and the content of the school’s collective…
See our Statutory Inspection of Anglican & Methodist Schools (SIAMS) page
School self-evaluation should always be carried out primarily for the benefit of the school community as a routine element of normal practice. It enables them to know whether and in what ways their work…
