School Improvement Reviews & Audits

We really found the school improvement review work you did very useful and it’s something we would like to implement on a yearly basis.

Michael Johnson, Vice Principal for Curriculum and Quality, Derwentside FE College

School Improvement Reviews : Insightful. Rigorous. Grounded in the reality of your school.

At JMC, our school improvement reviews and audits are designed to give leaders, proprietors and governors a clear, honest and evidence-based understanding of how their school is performing.

Not just against expectations on paper—but in day-to-day practice.

We work with independent schools and state schools across the UK to provide reviews that are:

• Aligned with current inspection frameworks (Ofsted and ISI)
• Rooted in safeguarding, wellbeing and school culture
• Focused on what is actually happening in your school, every day

“ I can’t stress enough how useful the whole process has been for us as a school”

Hannah Pomroy, Deputy Head, Ampleforth College
( Non-Association Independent School)

🔍 A different approach to school improvement reviews

Inspection expectations have evolved.

It is no longer enough for schools to demonstrate that policies are in place. Schools are now expected to show that systems are:

• Understood by staff
• Applied consistently
• Experienced positively by pupils
• Embedded across the school

In short:

There must be a clear line from policy to practice.

Our reviews are designed to test that line rigorously and professionally.

What our School Improvement Reviews focus on

All of our audits are built around a simple but powerful principle:

What is the lived experience of pupils and staff in your school?

We evaluate:

✅ Safeguarding in practice

• How effectively KCSIE is embedded in daily decision-making
• Staff understanding of responsibilities and thresholds
• The culture of vigilance, reporting and response

✅ Quality of education and pupil experience

• How well the curriculum supports pupils’ development
• The extent to which pupils are engaged, supported and challenged
• Preparation for life beyond school

✅ Wellbeing, relationships and culture

• The quality of staff–pupil interactions
• Behaviour and conduct across the school day
• Whether pupils feel safe, valued and listened to

✅ Leadership and oversight

• How leaders know their systems are effective
• The accuracy of self-evaluation
• The strength of governance and challenge

🆕 From Policies to Lived Reality™

A key development in our work is our “Policies to Lived Reality™” approach.

This reflects the reality of current inspection and regulatory expectations—particularly within ISI inspections and safeguarding evaluation.

We focus on the critical question:

Do your policies actually work in real situations?

Feedback and a Comprehensive Report

You will receive both verbal feedback and a comprehensive written report with specific recommendations for action will then be prepared and submitted to the school which can be presented to the School Governors or Trustees.

Types of School Improvement Reviews offered

We tailor our approach to each school, but our work typically includes:

🔹 Whole School Improvement Reviews or Mock Inspections

A comprehensive evaluation of standards, culture and effectiveness

🔹Compliance Audit

Our compliance auditor will carry out an onsite visit, meeting with the School Compliance Officer and ensure full compliance with current legislation.

🔹Safeguarding Audit

Focused on how safeguarding operates in practice across the school

🔹Behaviour Audit

You might be gearing up for inspection, you might have recently introduced a new behaviour policy and want a snapshot of its implementation, or you might want to ‘clear the decks’ before a new policy is written. Whatever the reason for the behaviour audit, we will provide constructive, expert feedback, acting as a critical friend

🔹 Leadership and Governance Reviews

Testing the effectiveness of oversight, assurance and challenge

🔹Boarding & Welfare Audit

Evaluating the lived experience of boarding in line with NMS expectations

🔹Curriculum and/or Quality of Education Audit

Our audit team reviews the quality of education through lesson visits, leadership discussions and pupil voice, focusing on how curriculum and teaching translate into pupils’ day-to-day experience.

🔹Subject / Departmental Reviews

Our team of experienced HMIs and lead inspectors can support Subject Leaders in reviewing their curriculum area by carrying out a mentoring learning walks alongside the subject leader. This subject review will help to determine strengths and next steps and give them the confidence to talk about their subject.

🔹 RSE / PSHE Audit

Our PSHE auditor will work with school leaders to identify gaps in existing provision and identify key areas for RSE & PSHE development. The audit will include a review of teaching and learning and pupil interviews to evaluate the quality of provision.

🔹Early Years Provision Audit

If you have an Ofsted registered early years provision we can organise a specialist and experienced team to evaluate this area of your school to ensure that it fulfils the requirements for the framework (published by the Dept for Education).

🔹SEND / Inclusion Review

Our Inclusion Review evaluates how effectively inclusive practice is embedded across your school, including for pupils with SEND. We focus on the lived experience of pupils, the quality of classroom practice and the consistency of provision, providing clear, practical recommendations to strengthen outcomes for all.

🔹Pupil Premium Audit

Our Pupil Premium audit evaluates how effectively funding is used to improve outcomes and close gaps in practice. We focus on the lived experience of disadvantaged pupils, the impact of provision and the strength of leadership oversight, providing clear, practical recommendations to strengthen strategy and ensure full compliance.

🔹 Post 16 Provision Audit

Our Post-16 Quality Assurance Review evaluates the effectiveness of provision across sixth forms, FE colleges and independent providers. We focus on the quality of education, learner experience and leadership oversight, providing a clear, evidence-based assessment aligned with current Ofsted expectations and practical recommendations for improvement.

🔹90 minute call with the lead Inspector

This service is to support headteachers in preparing for the 90 minute call with the lead Ofsted inspector the day before the inspection starts and would be led by one of our experienced HMI.

🔹EDI Review

Every school’s EDI priorities are different. Our flexible approach enables schools and trusts to select the areas of focus that matter most to their context and community.

How much will it cost?

We pay particular attention to team composition ensuring that our staff are suitable given the size and character of the school.

The cost depends on 4 factors:
1. Size of the Review Team
2. Number of days
3. Scope of the Review
4. Nature of the school: E.g. Size, age range, number of sites, provision of Boarding

The feedback given to departments was of very high quality and we were very impressed.

M. Naylor, Deputy Head, Standards, Achievement & Curriculum, Stone Lodge Free School

📞 Next steps

If you are looking for a school improvement review that goes beyond surface compliance and provides genuine insight into the reality of your school, we would be pleased to support you.

👉 Get in touch to discuss your requirements

👉 Arrange a confidential initial conversation

📧 Email us at enquiries@jmcinset.com

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