BSO inspectorates prepare for huge workload increase

The two remaining British Schools Overseas (BSO) inspectorates will have to double their workload to meet the increased demand caused by the removal of Penta as an approved inspectorate earlier this year, a Tes analysis can reveal.

The Department for Education removed Penta in July after two highly critical reports by Ofsted - the first of which dated back to March 2025.

This has left Education Development Trust (EDT) and the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) to operate all the remaining inspections and reaccreditations - required every three years - for BSO.

Down to two BSO inspectorates

Based on BSO inspection reports listed on the DfE website as of 26 August 2026, this will mean a significant increase in activity for these two providers as, of the 315 inspections listed as being conducted by the three inspectorates, Penta had conducted 173 - some 54 per cent of the total.

By comparison, ISI had conducted 86 inspections and EDT 56.

In response, Sarah Farquhar, interim chief executive of EDT, told Tes that the organisation is “confident in our ability to meet any additional demand” due to “extensive experience delivering large-scale inspections internationally”.

“With a well-established network of highly experienced inspectors, we are well placed to respond to increased demand while maintaining the high standards schools expect from our inspection service,” she said.

Ms Farquhar also said that EDT is “investing in inspector recruitment and training, alongside the ongoing development of our international inspection capability”.

Meanwhile, Vanessa Ward, chief executive-chief inspector at ISI, said she, too, is confident that it can meet increased demand, noting that BSO inspections are “an important and growing part of our work” and that the organisation has been increasing its focus in this area.

“Over the past two years we have increased inspector capacity with recruitment and training delivered to new team inspectors in London, Singapore, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Kuala Lumpur and Madrid since February 2025,” she said.

“These new cohorts of inspectors complete extensive preparation and careful onboarding before being deployed to ISI BSO inspections.”

Ms Ward also said that the “close alignment” between ISI BSO inspections and ISI association school inspections will enable it to “use our inspector resource flexibly, depending on where need is greatest”, adding: “We are well placed to meet the uplift in demand.”

‘Absolute confidence’

James McDonald, chairman of the Association of British Schools Overseas (AoBSO), which represents schools with the BSO accreditation, said it has spoken to both inspectorates and has “absolute confidence” in their ability to meet the increased workload.

“We are in regular dialogue with both inspectorates regarding capacity, inspector recruitment and training, and we are confident that demand for inspections and reaccreditations will continue to be met through rigorous, high-quality processes,” he said.

Mr McDonald added that the organisation is also speaking regularly with the DfE’s BSO team as well as other international school organisations, including British Schools in the Middle East, the Council of British International Schools, the Federation of British International Schools in Asia, the Independent Association of Prep Schools, the Latin American Heads Conference and the National Association of British Schools in Spain, to “identify any issues that need to be addressed” going forward.

“We will continue discussions with the DfE about the scheme’s growth and provide feedback from the sector on capacity,” Mr MacDonald said.

Tes understands that the DfE is working with the two inspectorates to ensure that schools due for reaccreditation will not lose their BSO status if they are unable to secure an inspection within the three-year timeline.

Tes asked the DfE if it had plans to tender for a third provider in the future but it declined to comment.