Research and analysis

Report on the Education Development Trust’s inspections of British schools overseas in 2023/24

Updated 3 March 2025

Letter to the Rt Hon. Bridget Phillipson MP

28 February 2025

The Rt Hon. Bridget Phillipson MP
Secretary of State for Education
Department for Education
Sanctuary Buildings
Great Smith Street
London
SW1P 3BT

Report on the Education Development Trust’s inspections of British schools overseas in 2023/24

In February 2024, the Department for Education (DfE) commissioned Ofsted to monitor the work of each of the three approved British schools overseas (BSO) inspectorates. The DfE wanted us to evaluate the extent to which each inspectorate meets the standards for inspectorates.

I am pleased to attach my report on the work of the Education Development Trust. This report sets out the extent of our monitoring activity and any judgements we have reached. We last published a report covering all the BSO inspectorates in the 2018/19 academic year. We did not make any judgements about the quality of the inspectorates’ work at that time. This was because the DfE only commissioned us to carry out a limited amount of quality assurance work.

This year, the DfE commissioned us to carry out a broader range of monitoring activity. His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) made an on-site quality assurance visit to one BSO inspection from each inspectorate and reviewed four full evidence bases and reports. They also met representatives from each inspectorate to discuss their quality assurance and recruitment arrangements. This has given them enough evidence to reach a judgement about the quality of each inspectorate’s work. We have explained these judgements fully in the attached report.

Yours sincerely

Sir Martyn Oliver
His Majesty’s Chief Inspector

Letter to Noelle Buick

28 February 2025

Noelle Buick
Chief Inspector
Education Development Trust

Report on the Education Development Trust’s inspections of British schools overseas in 2023/24

Please find enclosed a copy of the report on the inspection work of the Education Development Trust for the academic year 2023/24, which I have today sent to the Secretary of State for Education, the Rt Hon. Bridget Phillipson MP. The report will also be published on Ofsted’s website.

Thank you for the work you and your colleagues have done to facilitate Ofsted’s quality assurance work over the last academic year.

Yours sincerely

Sir Martyn Oliver
His Majesty’s Chief Inspector

Report on the British schools overseas inspection work by the Education Development Trust for the academic year 2023/24

Introduction

The Education Development Trust (EDT) is approved by the Department for Education (DfE) to inspect British schools overseas (BSO) to see if they meet the BSO standards. BSO is a voluntary scheme established in 2010. Schools that apply to join it must evidence that they meet standards that are comparable to the English independent school standards and the national minimum standards for boarding schools. Schools must be inspected successfully at least every 3 years to maintain their accreditation. There are 3 approved inspectorates, and schools can choose which of these they want to carry out their accreditation inspection.

Each BSO inspectorate is expected to meet the DfE’s standards for inspectorates. These standards set out the technical proficiency, independence and objectivity that the inspectorates must demonstrate at all times. This report sets out the extent to which EDT meets these standards.

EDT inspection activity for 2023/24

In the academic year 2023/24, EDT carried out 15 BSO inspections. These included schools in the Middle East, Asia and Africa.

Ofsted’s monitoring activity

Ofsted carried out one on-site monitoring visit in March 2024. His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) also reviewed evidence bases and reports from 4 other inspections carried out during the 2023/24 academic year.

Key findings

His Majesty’s Inspectors’ judgement is that EDT meets the standards required of BSO inspectorates in full.

• Inspection reports are factual and informative and adhere to EDT guidance. They provide clear recommendations for school leaders and reflect the inspection evidence well. Judgements typically align with the criteria issued by EDT within its inspection framework. Compliance with the BSO standards is well documented, and quality judgements are supported by appropriate text.
• Inspectors’ recording of evidence generally follows the guidance issued in EDT’s inspection handbook. It typically results in a rich evidence base that is summarised effectively. The inspectorate introduced changes in the evidence collection methodology, which demonstrate the reflective practice of the inspectorate based on EDT’s quality assurance monitoring.
• Support materials and the explicit guidance on the collation of evidence is generally effective at promoting consistent inspection practice. However, EDT’s guidance does contain one anomaly relating to a standard being judged as ‘partially met’. It is HMIs’ view that this may lead to unnecessary ambiguity.
• During the on-site monitoring visit, HMI observed strong strategic leadership from the lead inspector. All inspectors followed EDT’s inspection framework and made accurate judgements. Inspectors worked well with school leaders and followed EDT’s code of conduct for inspectors. However, not all inspectors closely referenced the BSO standards in their evidence gathering; this could potentially lead to gaps in evidencing a school’s compliance with the BSO standards.
• EDT has recognised the importance of accomplishing a balance in inspection activities in order to gather the greatest breadth and depth possible – for example in understanding the progress pupils make over time.
• EDT has strengthened their internal quality assurance process by introducing full reviews of inspection evidence bases prior to publishing reports. This is to make sure that reports and recommendations for improvement always accurately reflect the evidence gathered.
• Evidence suggests that some inspectors may be less confident when inspecting or recording evidence relating to pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.