Independent Schools Mock Inspector – Specialist SEN School

Birmingham, United Kingdom | Posted on 09/30/2026

Location: East Midlands, with UK wide Travel

Contract: Interim / Contract

Working Pattern: Flexible, dependent on assignment

About the Assignment

Fulcrum Care Limited is seeking an experienced education inspector to undertake a mock inspection of a specialist independent SEN day school in the East Midlands.

The school supports pupils who all hold Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) . The successful candidate will undertake a focused review against the Ofsted Education Inspection Framework (EIF) and the Independent School Standards (ISS) .

This is a schools inspection assignment and requires substantial, hands‑on experience of inspecting education provision. Experience solely within children's social care, residential care or CQC-regulated services will not meet the requirements of this brief.

Inspection Focus

The mock inspection will focus specifically on:

• Curriculum / quality of education
• Leadership and governance
• The school's provision for pupils with SEND and EHCPs
• Compliance with relevant Independent School Standards
• The effectiveness and impact of leadership and curriculum provision
• Identifying clear, evidence-based areas for improvement

The successful inspector will be expected to produce an inspection-standard written report , with clear evidence, findings and practical recommendations that the school's leadership team can act upon directly.

About You

We are looking for an experienced education professional with substantial school inspection experience , ideally including:

• Current or recently retired Ofsted Inspector, Additional Inspector or HMI (Education)
• Direct experience of specialist SEN provision
• Strong understanding of pupils with EHCPs
• Detailed knowledge of the Ofsted EIF
• Strong working knowledge of the Independent School Standards
• Experience producing high-quality inspection reports and evidence-based recommendations
• The ability to work independently and professionally with senior leaders and governors

Experience of inspecting independent special schools would be particularly valuable.

Team Option

Where an individual inspector does not meet the full brief, we would also consider a two‑person inspection team , provided the inspectors have previously worked together on comparable assignments and collectively bring the required independent school, SEN and inspection expertise.

Key Responsibilities

The successful candidate will be expected to:

• Undertake the agreed mock inspection visit.
• Review relevant school documentation and evidence.
• Evaluate curriculum and leadership/governance arrangements against the agreed inspection framework.
• Gather and analyse evidence during the visit.
• Provide clear verbal feedback to school leaders where appropriate.
• Produce a detailed, professional written inspection report.
• Set out clear, practical and evidence-based recommendations for improvement.

The initial assignment is for a specialist independent SEN day school in the East Midlands , with the inspection planned for the week commencing 12 October 2026 .

Due to the short timescale, candidates will need to provide confirmed availability for this period.

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