All Church of England Schools receive a Section 48 Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS) inspection as well as the regular Section 5 or Section 8 Ofsted inspection.
From September 2023 SIAMS will no longer grade schools it inspects. Instead, a school will receive a context driven judgement that is based on evidence gathered from 6 or 7 high level inspection questions. The context of the school and how it informs the school’s Christian vision will be evaluated. The impact of the vision is central to this; inspectors will be considering how the vision and provision it provides ensures every pupil and adult flourishes in the fullness of life. Schools are invited to share their own stories of how their Christian vision enables pupils and adults to flourish.
The new SIAMS Framework (September 2023) will ask the following high level inspection questions:
- How does the school’s theologically rooted Christian vision enable pupils and adults to flourish?
- How does the curriculum reflect the school’s theologically rooted Christian vision?
- How is collective worship enabling pupils and adults to flourish spiritually?
- How does the school’s theologically rooted Christian vision create a culture in which pupils and adults are treated well?
- How does the school’s theologically rooted Christian vision create an active culture of justice and responsibility?
- Is the religious education curriculum effective (with reference to the expectations set out in the Church of England’s Statement of Entitlement for Religious Education)?
- What if the quality of religious education in voluntary aided and former voluntary aided schools, and in former voluntary controlled schools in which denominational religious education is taught? (VA Schools Only)
For additional information please Click here for the national Church of England SIAMS page
SIAMS inspections will be carried out with 1 weeks’ notice and the school will be informed of the date by the National SIAMS Team.
After the inspection, schools will be offered a post-inspection visit or call by a member of the education team to support the school in addressing the areas for development and inspection findings.
A mid-term monitoring visit will be carried out to assess progress against the areas of development.
Schools that are likely to be inspected between September 2023 and July 2024 can be found in the list here: SIAMS 2023-2024 likely list of schools PUBLISHED. The full national list can be found here.
Congratulations to our schools who have successfully been inspected under the SIAMS schedule this academic year. Please click here to read their reports.
Church of England SIAMS information webpage Check the Church of England website which includes additional information and resources that may support you in your schools.
SIAMS Framework September 2023 (with updated judgements)
SIAMS 2023 Transitional Guidance for Schools
The Education Team organise core SIAMS training annually in the autumn, spring and summer terms. Please see the training brochure and book in via the google form. Please find out more about all our training on the Schools Training, Support and Events page.
Help! A new SIAMS framework for 2023
This is a one day course, with lunch, for headteachers, governors and those who lead on the Christian character of the school or aspects of the SIAMS framework. The focus of this day will be to update you on the new 2023 SIAMS framework. We will explore what is meant by a theologically rooted Christian Vision. We will unpick each of the inspection questions and look in more detail at the judgements and the self-evaluation process (SEF). Please choose whether you wish to attend in the autumn, spring or summer term when making your booking.
Autumn Term
Thursday 21 September 2023 9.45am-3.00pm
Booking deadline: Thursday 7 September 2023
Spring Term
Friday 26 January 2024 9.45am-3.00pm
Booking deadline: Friday 12 January 2024
Summer Term
Thursday 2 May 2024 9.45am-3.00pm
Booking deadline: Thursday 18 April 2024
Venue: Holiday Inn, Crest Way, Barnwood, Gloucester, GL4 3RX
Cost: £95.00 per delegate
Book in here
Schools, particularly where there is a change in leadership structure, or if they are due their SIAMS inspection shortly, and have not attended training, are strongly advised to attend this training. In addition, schools may also request bespoke in school training via the Education training, support and events webpage.
Collective Worship and the new SIAMS framework
For Headteachers, school leaders, clergy, governors. This course has been designed to answer many of the questions raised about collective worship in the new SIAMS framework, such as: How is collective worship in your school enabling pupils and adults to flourish spiritually? How does your theologically rooted Christian vision and the Anglican foundation shape the worship and spirituality in your school? In what ways is the worship life of your school inclusive, invitational, and inspirational? In the context of your Church school, what do pupils and adults understand to be the meaning of spirituality? How does this enhance and enrich collective worship and individuals’ spiritual development? Includes lunch
Wednesday 6 March 2024 10.00am -2.30pm
Venue: Holiday Inn, Crest Way, Barnwood, Gloucester, GL4 3RX
Booking deadline: Wednesday 21 February 2024
Cost: £95.00
Book in here
Religious Education and the new SIAMS framework
For RE Subject Leaders, class teachers, Early Career Teachers. In the changing world of RE, this new central training course has been designed to answer the following questions:
- How can you be sure your Religious Education Curriculum is effective?
- How does your school ensure that the provision, profile, and priority of religious education in all key stages reflect its place on the curriculum of a Church school?
- Is RE in your school challenging, accurate, well-sequenced, well-balanced, relevant, and diverse?
- Is your school prepared for the new agreed syllabus for Religious Education?
This is course is ideal for VA and VC schools, maintained schools and academies. Includes lunch.
Wednesday 26 June 2024 10.00am -2.30pm
Booking deadline: Wednesday 12 June 2024
Venue: Holiday Inn, Crest Way, Barnwood, Gloucester, GL4 3RX
Cost: £95.00
Book in here
For further information about SIAMS inspections within the Diocese of Gloucester, please contact: ku.gr1695298223o.coi1695298223dsolg1695298223@smai1695298223s1695298223
The Inspection Questions (IQs): How then can we live and learn together?
A) How is the Christian vision expressed? For example, is it through values that are faithful to the Anglican/Methodist foundation of the school?
B) What other strategies do leaders employ to ensure that the theologically rooted Christian vision is a living reality that enables pupils and adults to flourish?
C) How do leaders know that the theologically rooted Christian vision is enabling people to flourish?
D How does the vision of the trust resonate with the school’s theologically rooted Christian vision in a way that enhances the work of the school and its Christian foundation?
In-school MOT Vision & Leadership
In-school Governance MOT
Supporting Documents and other resources
Church of England (CE) Vision for Education
Church of England (CE) Our Hope for a Flourishing Schools System
Diocese of Gloucester Life Vision
CEFEL Leadership Character report
CEFEL Pedagogy, Leadership & Theology Document
“Hands on Vision” teaching CE Vision by Helen Matter
Foundation for Educational Leadership
Valuing All God’s Children 2017
More information and resources are available to support governors and monitoring in a church school
A) In what ways does the theologically rooted Christian vision shape the curriculum, including the extracurricular offer?
B) How is spiritual development an intrinsic part of the curriculum?
C) How do leaders know that the curriculum is having the intended effect for pupils?
D) How, specifically, does the Christian vision shape the learning experience for pupils who are deemed to be vulnerable and/or disadvantaged?
E) How does being part of the trust enhance the school’s curriculum?
Training – ISTR School approach to Spirituality (including ideas for embedding spirituality in the curriculum)
Supporting Documents and other suggested resources
Church of England Spiritual Development: Interpretations of spiritual development in the classroom
Our Shared Language of Spirituality
Diocese of Gloucester Spirituality Policy Template
A video animation explaining the potential role of reflection spaces in developing a child’s spirituality
A) How do the theologically rooted Christian vision and the Anglican/Methodist foundation of the school shape worship and spirituality in the school?
B) How do partnerships with the DBE and/or MAST, and partnerships with parish/local church/es enhance this?
C) In what ways is the worship life of the school inclusive, invitational, and inspirational?
D) In the context of the school as a Church school, what do pupils and adults understand to be the meaning of spirituality? How does this enhance and enrich collective worship and individuals’ spiritual development?
E) How does the trust contribute to and enhance the school’s worship and spiritual life?
Training
Collective Worship and the new SIAMS framework
For Headteachers, school leaders, clergy, governors. This course has been designed to answer many of the questions raised about collective worship in the new SIAMS framework, such as: How is collective worship in your school enabling pupils and adults to flourish spiritually? How does your theologically rooted Christian vision and the Anglican foundation shape the worship and spirituality in your school? In what ways is the worship life of your school inclusive, invitational, and inspirational? In the context of your Church school, what do pupils and adults understand to be the meaning of spirituality? How does this enhance and enrich collective worship and individuals’ spiritual development? Includes lunch.
Wednesday 6 March 2024 10.00am -2.30pm
Venue: Holiday Inn, Crest Way, Barnwood, Gloucester, GL4 3RX
Booking deadline: Wednesday 21 February 2024
Cost: £95.00
Book in here
For more information on how to develop spiritual development please click here
For more information on collective worship please click here
A) How does the theologically rooted Christian vision enable all to live well together in an inclusive, dignifying, and equitable culture?
B) How do school policies and practice create a culture in which people’s wellbeing is enhanced?
C) How is enabling good mental health for all central to the school’s work?
D) As a result of the theologically rooted Christian vision, what effective strategies are in place that help pupils and adults, including those deemed to be vulnerable and/or disadvantaged, at difficult times?
E) How does the trust contribute to and enhance the inclusion and wellbeing of pupils and adults, ensuring that all are treated well?
Supporting Documents and other resources
Church of England Mental Health & Wellbeing Guidance
Church of England RSE additional guidance and materials
The Archbishop of York Young Leaders Award
GHLL Mental Health Champions (Gloucester Award)
Gloucester Cathedral A guide to Christian Meditation
Gloucester Cathedral Rule of Life
‘No Outsiders’ an inclusion programme that enables conversation around diversity and inclusion
GCC Restorative Practice information and introduction to how restorative practice works
HEARTSMART Primary PSHE Curriculum
Mental Health and Wellbeing Guidance Sept 2018
Goodness and Mercy PHSE resources RSHE for Church of England schools
A) How does the theologically rooted Christian vision enable positive relationships that balance individual freedom and rights, with responsibility towards others?
B) How does this culture encourage justice and courageous advocacy, enabling pupils to make ethical choices and to be agents of change?
C) As an outworking of the theologically rooted Christian vision, what partnerships are important to the school? How do they impact positively and reciprocally on people’s lives?
D) How does the trust make a positive impact on the culture of the school?
Training – ISTR – Courageous Advocacy
Supporting Documents and other resources
Church of England Valuing All God’s Children
Courageous Advocacy and Political Impartiality document – to follow
Church of England Courageous Advocacy document
Diocesan Partnership Links – list to follow
Global Neighbours Handbook (school accreditation scheme)
A) How do school and trust leaders ensure that the provision, profile, and priority of religious education in all key stages reflect its place on the curriculum of a Church school?
B) How do school and trust leaders ensure that the religious education curriculum is challenging, accurate, well sequenced, well-balanced, relevant, and diverse?
C) How do school and trust leaders ensure that religious education is well resourced, and that continuing professional development for staff has an impact on the effectiveness of the curriculum?
Training
Religious Education and the new SIAMS framework
For RE Subject Leaders, class teachers, Early Career Teachers. In the changing world of RE, this new central training course has been designed to answer the following questions:
- How can you be sure your Religious Education Curriculum is effective?
- How does your school ensure that the provision, profile, and priority of religious education in all key stages reflect its place on the curriculum of a Church school?
- Is RE in your school challenging, accurate, well-sequenced, well-balanced, relevant, and diverse?
- Is your school prepared for the new agreed syllabus for Religious Education?
This is course is ideal for VA and VC schools, maintained schools and academies. Includes lunch.
Wednesday 26 June 2024 10.00am -2.30pm
Booking deadline: Wednesday 12 June 2024
Venue: Holiday Inn, Crest Way, Barnwood, Gloucester, GL4 3RX
Cost: £95.00
Book in here
Church of England Religious Education – A Statement of Entitlement
For more information on religious education please click here
This Inspection Question only forms part of the inspection of voluntary aided maintained schools, academies that were formerly voluntary aided schools, and academies that were formerly voluntary controlled schools in which denominational religious education is taught. Inspection of maintained voluntary controlled schools, and the vast majority of academies that were formerly voluntary controlled schools, will not address this Inspection Question.
A) What is the quality of teaching?
B) How well do pupils make progress in their learning as a result of a balanced and well-structured religious education curriculum?1
C) How does assessment inform teaching and learning?
Church of England Religious Education – A Statement of Entitlement
