'Ofsted' adapted guidelines implemented in five Manx schools

It's hoped external validators will drive 'continual improvement' as the framework rolls out across the Isle of Man's government run schools

The way Manx schools are assessed will change this week (beginning Monday 28 January).

A new external validation process is being launched initially in five schools before being rolled out across all educational settings and services.

Each school will complete a self-evaluation, which will then be validated by an independent team visiting as part of an overall 6-8 week programme.

The process will be carried out by a global organisation, Tribal, who have engaged with governments and schools globally to support evaluation and improvement.

This will then inform the next steps for the growth of all schools and services.

The first groups of schools to be assessed in this way will be St Mary's RC, Peel Clothworkers, Kewaigue, Castle Rushen and QEII.

Parents and students will be informed ahead of each school's validation visit, but the visits aren't said to impact day-to-day operations.

Tribal’s lead validator has already met with school and service leaders and invited all teachers from the first schools to join her for an introductory meeting to find out more.

She said: "School and service leaders and teachers have embraced the external validation process as an opportunity to support continuous growth and improvement, which will directly impact on the children and young people.

"In adopting this approach to validation, which is based on our reviews of best practice in educational quality assurance around the world, the Island is demonstrating its progressive commitment to the growth and development of children and young people’s education provision."

Following the external validation visit, information about the visit will be available on each school's website, which will also form part of an annual overview of education on the Island.

All schools and services will have been part of the external validation process by July 2026, as part of the Department of Education, Sport and Culture’s Quality Assurance Framework, which was introduced in all schools and services in September 2022.

The framework requires schools and services to self-evaluate key areas including the quality of education, behaviour, relationships and attitudes, personal development and leadership.

Julie Edge MHK, Minister for Education, Sport and Culture, says: "I am delighted to see the delivery of a key Island Plan commitment. The external validations pave the way for a new era of education improvement. They form a key element of effective quality assurance within our schools and services ensuring that our children and young people’s development remains at the heart of our education system.

"The framework supports schools and services to better understand the validity of their own judgements and provides decision makers with the autonomy to understand and implement their own improvement and development plans in innovative ways."