Each year, in consultation with the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, the HM Chief Inspector agrees the scope and priorities of our inspection programme.

As a public sector organisation, we are committed to openness and transparency. We continually review how we can provide access to accurate and useful information about the work that we do.

Programme of Scrutiny from August 2023 to July 2024

Early Learning and Childcare (ELC)

Education Scotland will undertake at least 150 inspections in Early Learning and childcare settings including nursery classes in schools.

Schools

Schools include:

• local authority
• grant aided
• independent
• day special schools
• residential special schools
• 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 focus on the following national quality indicators:

• 1.3 Leadership of change
• 2.3 Learning, teaching, and assessment
• 3.1 Ensuring wellbeing, equality, and inclusion
• 3.2 Raising attainment and achievement

Further inspections

There are 44 schools and settings which will require either a further inspection or a progress report from the local authority.

Community Learning and Development (CLD) services

HM Inspectors of Education will undertake a programme of Progress Visit to all 32 local authorities.

Colleges

HM Inspectors will undertake a programme of scrutiny and review 27 colleges and institutions.

Private colleges and English language schools

HM Inspectors will undertake educational oversight inspections of providers who are student sponsors and recruit inbound international learners on student visas.

Modern Apprentice training

HM Inspectors will undertake at least 20 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 scrutiny partners on four joint inspections of services for children and young people, led by the Care Inspectorate.

National thematic inspections

Details of national thematic inspections will be updated in due course.

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 new schools
• changes to admissions policies

Additional activity 

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