Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education
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Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) in Scotland is an executive agency of the Scottish Executive, responsible for the inspection of public and independent primary and secondary schools, as well as further education colleges, community learning, and teacher education.
HMIE is headed by Her Majesty's Senior Chief Inspector of Education, the current post holder is Graham Donaldson. Its remit is far wider than its English counterpart, the Office for Standards in Education, and has a history dating back to 1840.
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[edit] History
The first HM Inspector of Schools (HMI) was appointed in 1840. However, what has not changed is the emphasis on the relationship between inspection and improvement. The rationale for the first appointments of HMI linked inspection to “the improvement of elementary education” and charged HMI to say “what improvements in the apparatus and internal management of schools, in school management and discipline, and in the methods of teaching have been sanctioned by the most extensive experience.” The particular focus in Scotland on combining inspection with self-evaluation has been central to the drive to raise educational standards. Following the Scotland Act 1998 the Inspectorate was made an Executive Agency of the Scottish Executive, and the HMSCI is answerable to the Scottish Ministers for the running of the Inspectorate and the whole inspection system in Scotland.
[edit] Remit
HMIE is charged with inspecting the quality of education in pre-school centres, primary schools, secondary schools, special schools, community learning and development, further education colleges, initial teacher education, residential educational provision and the education functions of local authorities and services for children.
Following the passing of the Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc 2000 Act the focus of HMIE shifted to how this legislation is being implemented. It brought new statutory powers to inspect the education functions of local authorities.
