With a focus on preparing your special school for inspection and presenting it at inspection, the course will consider the different types of inspection, looking in detail at regular inspections. As well as exploring key topics such as well-being, achievement and pupil voice, the course will enable delegates to reflect on the extent of their school’s regulatory compliance.
The course will support leaders in special schools in communicating to inspectors the school’s aims and achievements through the lens of the current inspection framework’s focus on well-being. It will enable them to consider how they might best present key information in the context of the school and the nature of its pupils and demonstrate the school’s compliance with regulatory requirements.
Delegates will gain a greater understanding of inspection processes and how they can best present their special school. They will have a clear picture of what they need to do to demonstrate regulatory compliance and the supporting evidence to provide. They will be prompted to consider what the inspectors need to know about the individual characteristics of their school and how and when to share this information.


Christopher Sanderson is an educational consultant with over 20 years experience with ISI, leading inspections in EYFS, primary and secondary phases, boarding schools and British schools overseas. He completed four headships, in primary, prep, secondary and international schools, previously being successively Head of Department in Modern Languages, cricket and hockey, music and maths. He has been a School Improvement Partner for a West Yorkshire local authority and a SIAS (Anglican Schools) inspector. He currently works on the Head Office team of a large group of independent schools, with particular responsibility for policy and compliance, and oversees safeguarding and compliance for a trust which runs a group of free schools. He is one of ISA’s team of consultants providing pre-inspection audits. He has been a GCSE examiner in French and maths, was a conductor of the National Children’s Choir and works as an instrumental music examiner for Trinity College, London.