Each year the HM Chief Inspector sets out the scale and priorities of our scrutiny programme in agreement with the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills.

Early learning and childcare (ELC) settings

Education Scotland will undertake at least 150 inspections in this sector. These inspections will be undertaken using the new joint HM Inspectorate/Care Inspectorate quality improvement framework for early learning and childcare.

Schools

This includes:

• local authority
• grant aided
• independent
• day Special Educational Needs
• residential Special Educational Needs
• secure accommodation services

Education Scotland will undertake at least 250 inspections across the school sector. This will include a sample of 120 inspections which will provide evidence for the National Improvement Framework and focus on the following quality indicators:

1. leadership of change
2. learning, teaching and assessment
3. ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion
4. raising attainment and achievement

Further inspections

There are currently 62 schools and settings and Community Learning and Development (CLD) services which will require either a further inspection or a progress report from the local authority. This number may increase further once the 2024/25 inspection programme is concluded. Further inspections will be completed in accordance with the timescales set out in the original inspection report, the majority of which will be during this academic year.

Community learning and development services

HM Inspectors will carry out a programme of inspection of community learning and development provision aligned to the work of the CLD Strategic Leadership Group.

Colleges

Private colleges and English language schools

HM Inspectors will undertake educational oversight inspections of providers who either (a) hold a Home Office Student Sponsor licence and recruit inbound international learners on student visas, or (b) are designated providers in receipt of funding from the Student Awards Agency Scotland.

Modern Apprentice training

HM Inspectors will undertake inspections of Modern Apprenticeship provision.

Prison education

HM Inspectors will join four inspections of prisons at the request of HM Inspectorate of Prisons.

Joint inspections with the Care Inspectorate

We will work with other inspection partners on four joint inspections of services for children and young people, led by the Care Inspectorate.

National thematic inspections

The programme of national thematic inspections will support the Curriculum Improvement Cycle.

Other national thematic inspections will include a focus on attendance, behaviour and relationships, additional support for learning and play pedagogy.

School estates

We will evaluate the educational benefits and implications of changes to school estates in all local authorities in in compliance with the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010. This includes:

• proposed closure of schools
• opening of new schools
• changes to admissions policies

Additional activity

In addition to our planned programme of inspection activity, we will carry out inspection activity in response to identified risk, or at the request of Scottish Ministers.