On education there are several policies that are common threads across the party spectrum – the promotion of academies, the enhanmcement of teacher status, and the introduction of a pupil premium for children from disdvantaged backgrounds. We can therefore expect that action in the first instance will focus on these areas of agreement. But there are other areas where action by the new government is urgently needed and consensus needs to be built.

Chief among these is regulation and inspection. While the parties inevitably focused their manifesto commitments on the maintained sector, here is an issue that independent and maintained schools have in common. The views of both sectors need to be heard on this and action taken in parallel. Over the last few years government often seemed to be working from the starting point that schools were dangerous places for children, that heads, teachers and administrators could not be trusted, and that the system therefore needed to be regulated, controlled and monitored as much as possible. The result has been a diversion of effort and resource away from the prime task of education into bureacracy, form-filling and box-ticking. ISC and its associations have joined with maintained schools and unions in urging the government to improve outcomes by simplifying the regulatory regimes, focusing on those at risk, and channelling inspection resources into educational improvement. These are vital preconditions for raising standards across the schools sectors, and if they are not addressed first then whatever new reforms are introduced elsewhere will be rendered ineffective.

For the independent sector this means turning Sir Roger Singleton’s call for a clearing of the regulatory thicket into action by devising a single set of simple, clear standards for all settings . This would free up the time and money currently spent on low-value compliance, and allow schools, aided by a single inspectorate (ISI) to focus on improving outcomes. Give heads and governors back their independence so that they can focus on  the educational needs of their individual pupils rather than on process.

Related posts:

1. Ofsted regulation.. hands off!
2. Is Ofsted slimming down its inspection framework?
3. Fears of ‘bogus’ students in pre-election season

Should I take notice of a school league table that is produced by a reputable organisation such as the Times or the BBC?
Each year several organisations produce academic school league tables of A-Levels and GCSEs as well as giving schools ‘value-added’ scores. The thing to remember with these school league tables is that they all have their own criteria and methodology for calculating which school is the ‘best’. Another thing to remember is that every child is different and not all pupils will benefit from a school that is consistently at the top of the school league tables year on year. ISC represents all of its 1260+ member schools equally so does not rank independent schools based on a set criteria. On the ISC website you can find in our Publications section the latest A-Level and GCSE results. These are in alphabetical order and will give parents an idea of the type of grades that pupils at each school achieve. This will obviously help parents if they wish to discover the academic standing of a school. However, parents must use this to complement their other research activities.

Independent school year books are a great resource for reviews aren’t they?
There are many books that are published each year stuffed with reviews about many of ISC’s 1260+ independent schools. They are useful tools if used in the right way; parents must remember that these are subjective opinions based on one person’s experience and not to be taken as gospel. Your thoughts on the school could be drastically different. So, as long as you keep this in mind they are not to be disregarded altogether. If you are looking for a more succinct report based on strict criteria it might be worth reading the Independent Schools Inspectorate’s (ISI) report on the school by visiting their website. As with all resources looking at independent schools it is always a good idea to put them into context and consider who, and why, someone is writing the review. Are they looking to promote the school? Are they giving accurate advice? Once again, by all means use these guides but as a complementary resource along with other research.

What is the best method of comparing schools?
School inspection reports, websites, reviews and school league tables are all useful indicators of a schools success but there is no substitute for visiting and having a look around. If possible it is always a good idea to talk to pupils at the school to get a sense of the type of student your child will become in that environment. Are the children confident, friendly and happy? When visiting an independent school it is advisable to take a list of questions to ask the person showing you around. Some examples of things to ask are:

- Typically, how many students are in a class?
- What access do boarders have to the facilities after lessons have finished?
- How much direct contact will we, as parents, have with teachers?
- Do you cater for pupils with Special Educational Needs?
- What is the percentage of school leavers that go onto university?
- What support mechanisms are there for those who struggle with maths and English?
- Are you considering offering any other curricula in the future like the IB or Pre-U?
- What clubs and extra-curricular activities are on offer for students, even if they don’t board?
- How many hours of compulsory sport is there?
- Does the school offer the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award or any volunteer schemes for students?

For more questions to ask please visit the ISC website and navigate to the Parent Zone.

How do I make the final decision?
All of these resources are available easily but nobody can make your mind up for you. Our general advice line 0845 SCHOOLS (7246657) and website are able to help with your decision but ultimately it is up to you to decide which the best school is for your child. The independent school sector is successful because the flexibility its independence affords it. This means that you can choose a school that matches your child, effectively giving your child a bespoke education. Use the reviews, school league tables and websites but remember that none of these can even come close to experiencing the school for yourself. ISC’s advice: visit the school and ask lots of questions!

By Liam Butler, Senior Information Officer.

Interested in further information about school league tables?
Read our blog - ‘School League Tables’
Visit the following pages in our Parent Zone:
How do I decide which school is best for my child?
School league tables
School open days and questions to ask

Related posts:

1. School League Tables
2. A Bright Spark: ‘Gifted and Talented’ in the Independent Sector
3. An Independent Education: Promoting Flexibility and Choice