SIAMS
Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (Section 48)
For a list of schools likely to be inspected in 2024 -2025 - click here
All Church of England schools and academies receive a SIAMS inspection once every five years (currently longer due to the impact of the pandemic). They are conducted independently of Ofsted by SIAMS inspectors trained through the Church of England Education Office. The purpose of these inspections is to ensure that church schools are living up to their foundation as schools of religious character.
During SIAMS inspections, inspectors explore with school and trust leaders the following:
- School and local context (who are we?)
- The school’s designation as a school of religious character (why are we here?)
- The things the school community does to respond to this so that pupils and adults flourish (how, then, do we live?)
Church schools come in all different shapes and sizes, and the SIAMS inspection process reflects this. There is a strong emphasis on the context of the school and how this has shaped its distinctively Christian strategic vision. Inspectors seek to ascertain how the school’s vision emerges from its context and then drives all the operational work of the school so that pupils and adults can flourish.
Importantly, the 2024 SIAMS Inspection Framework seeks to understand the way in which the teachings and traditions of the church underpin a school’s Christian vision. In the inspection framework, this is articulated as the ‘theological underpinning’ of the school’s vision.
Further information can be found here and from Paul Thompson (paul.thompson@lincoln.anglican.org), Diocesan Director of Education and SIAMS Manager or Gillian Georgiou (gillian.georgiou@lincoln.anglican.org), Diocesan RE and SIAMS Adviser.
SIAMS Judgements and Self-Evaluation
Guidance on the wording of SIAMS judgements and the process of SIAMS self-evaluation has been updated. There is no longer the requirement to provide a summary SEF to SIAMS inspectors. However, should you wish to do so, you may. You can find out more information here.
Two self-evaluation templates are available that adhere to the current SIAMS inspection framework:
If you have any questions about the SIAMS inspection process, please contact the national SIAMS helpdesk: SIAMS@churchofengland.org.
For all your training needs regarding SIAMS, please visit the diocesan professional development page here or e-mail our RE and SIAMS adviser, Gillian Georgiou, at gillian.georgiou@lincoln.anglican.org.