Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools

All Church of England dioceses and the Methodist Church use the National Society's framework for the Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS) under Section 48 of the Education Act 2005. The framework sets out the expectations for the conduct of the Statutory Inspection of Anglican, Methodist and ecumenical Schools. The framework provides a process for evaluating the extent to which church schools are "distinctively and recognisably Christian institutions".

 

Inspection focus

SIAMS inspections focus on the effect that the Christian ethos of the church school has on the children and young people who attend it. Church schools will employ a variety of strategies and styles, which reflect their particular local context or church tradition in order to be distinctive and effective. Inspectors will, therefore, not be looking to apply a preconceived template of what a church school should be like.

 

The principal objective of SIAMS inspection is to evaluate the distinctiveness and effectiveness of the school as a church school.

 

Towards this objective, inspectors seek to answer one key question:

How effective is the school's distinctive Christian vision, established and promoted by leadership at all levels, in enabling pupils and adults to flourish? This is explored through seven stands:

• Vision and Leadership
• Wisdom, Knowledge and Skills
• Character Development: Hope, Aspiration and Courageous Advocacy
• Community and Living Well Together
• The impact of collective worship
• The effectiveness of religious education