THE IDEA OF an independent education on standards office or inspectors other than those from the Department of Education inspecting schools might sound far fetched in Ireland. Indeed, the setting up of the Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED) in England in 1992 generated much controversy there, too.

In the meantime, however, English schools have become accustomed to their regular OFSTED inspections.

OFSTED was set up in September of 1992 to inspect, report on and improve the quality of education in all state funded secondary, primary, nursery and special schools in England. (Scotland and Wales have separate inspectorates.)

Whole school inspections are carried out by teams of independent inspectors led by a registered inspector (RgI colloquially known as a Reggie). As well as professional members, the teams include at least one "lay" member someone without teaching or school management experience.

OFSTED inspects each school on a four year cycle. The duration of an inspection varies depending, mainly, on school size. For example, the inspection of a 1,000 pupil secondary school can take a week, with 13 inspectors on the team.

OFSTED examines four key elements of schools the quality of education provided the educational standards achieved by pupils managerial and financial efficiency and the "spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils".

Before the inspection takes place, information and documentation about the school are gathered. The head teacher submits a formal statement to the RgI giving data about the school, its pupils and its catchment area. OFSTED also receives the school prospectus, its development plan, a copy of the last annual report to parents, the staff handbook, curriculum policies, plans, schemes of work, the school timetable and any other policy documents.

Before the inspection, the RgI offers to meet the teaching and non teaching staff to discuss and explain the process. A meeting is also offered to the school's governors. The school is obliged to arrange a meeting between the RgI and parents, to give parents the opportunity to express opinions about the school.

The school's governors are also required to inform "interested parties" in the local community about the forthcoming inspection. Theses include the local Training and Enterprise Council and representatives from the local business community.

During the initial visit, the RgI and head teacher will agree on any additional information that will be made available during the inspection. This is likely to include samples of pupils' work, pupils' records and reports, teachers' planning and assessment documents, registers of attendance and individual education plans for pupils with special needs.

During the inspection, at least 60 per cent of the inspection team's time is spent observing lessons, sampling pupils' work and talking to pupils. Where possible, all teachers, including substitute teachers and students in training, are observed teaching.

Inspectors scrutinise teachers schemes of work and teaching plans and their records of tests, assessments, and results in GCSE, A Levels and other courses. Assemblies, extracurricular activities, sports and form or tutorial periods are also inspected.

INSPECTORS LISTEN to pupils' incidental talk and comments, engage pupils in conversation and observe their behaviour and attitudes to learning. Some structured discussions with pupils occur outside lessons. For each pupil, samples of past and present word must be available to show the range of work covered and to evaluate progress.

Meetings and discussions take place during the inspection with the head teacher, with staff with special responsibilities, and with class teachers and non teaching staff. Towards the end of the inspection, oral reports on the inspection findings are offered to those with significant responsibilities, such as course co-ordinators and the head teacher. For the first time, beginning this term, inspectors are required to report confidentially to the head teacher examples of particularly good or very poor teaching, naming the teacher. However names do not appear on the official inspection report or summary.

After the inspection, the RgI writes the report and a summary another development beginning this term is that summary reports must be "sharper" and "identify in plain language" the strengths and weaknesses of the school and the action needed for improvement.

Schools must send the summary to the parents of every pupil and make the full report available to parents, the media, libraries and employers. The school's formal response to the report the Action Plan must also be freely available to parents.

OFSTED inspections have found that 2 per cent of schools are failing schools". The new framework document for the inspection of schools states that where there is "widespread and significantly poor attainment and progress, risk to pupils or the likelihood of a breakdown of discipline, the school will normally be judged to require special measures".

If the RgI judges that a school is failing or likely to fail its pupils, Her Majesty's Inspectors (HMI) reinspect the school. If, after the HMI inspection, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools in England agrees with the RgI's opinion, then the "special measures" are put in place, including the requirement to submit an action plan for approval to the Secretary of State for Education and ongoing monitoring by OFSTED. A briefing from OFSTED put it succinctly ... a failing school is expected to improve or move towards closure within two years of being inspected."

Fortunately, OFSTED also highlights good schools and celebrates their achievements. The newly published inspection report of my last school, St Bonaventure's in London's East End, is peppered with encouraging findings "excellent behaviour and discipline", "well motivated pupils", "very well managed", "good value for money" and "exceptionally good contacts with business and the world of work".

OFSTED is unquestionably raising standards in English schools. It identifies good schools and forces poor ones to improve or face closure. In England, it is only failing schools that have anything to lose by whole school inspections.

As the possibility of whole school inspections in second level schools is discussed here, the experience of OFSTED could prove very interesting.