Inspection

Site Visit

As soon as the self-assessment is completed, and at a time which is convenient to the institution seeking accreditation, IEAC will conduct an on-site visit. During the visit, the inspector will set-up an evaluation team, which may include faculty members, administrators, and other subject matter experts, who will assess the institution's facilities, interview staff, faculty, and students, and observe classes in action. For Online institutions this may be done remotely.

ONLINE institutions – Remote Inspection

For online institutions, this will normally be a remote inspection unless the institutions would prefer a site visit, for instance if they are operating a hybrid system. The process is basically the same but we would require the institution to send in videos showing teaching taking place, access to the platform to view teaching and learning materials. We would also like to meet online a group of teachers and students. If this is not possible then we would provide questionnaires for the staff and students to complete.

First Day

On the first day of the school inspection process, the inspectors typically commence their visit meeting with the Head of the Institution and the Senior Leadership Team (SLT). After this, they will focus on the quality of management, student support, the premises and facilities, health and safety, and the available resources for the courses being delivered. The inspectors will also view procedural documentation, attendance recording systems, examples of marked student work, and feedback forms. In addition, they will look at the institution’s statutory documentation, such as approvals from the local Ministry of Education and adherence to local regulatory bodies that oversee issues such as Health & Safety, Fire Regulations, and Employment.

The key focus of educational institution inspection involves:

• Procedural documentation (quality manual, staff/student handbooks)
• Attendance monitoring systems
• Sample student feedback forms
• Marked student assignments
• Performance monitoring systems
• Statutory documentation
• Meetings with management and the Head of Institution

Flow Chart Showing The Process From Initial Inquiry To Accreditation

Second Day

This stage of the Educational Accreditation Process revolves around reviewing collected evidence and assessing the institution's adherence to IEAC Accreditation Standards in Education. The inspector(s) will conduct a detailed audit of systems, observe teaching sessions, and engage in meetings with staff and students to gather their perspectives. The inspection format will be tailored to the institution's size, location, and type, aligning with their usual operation and timetable. The visit concludes with a final meeting with the Institution Head to provide informal feedback; however, the inspector(s) cannot officially declare the inspection outcome.

Inspection Activities:

• Meetings with the Head of Institution, CEO, and owners/Chair of Governors (if applicable)
• Introductory meeting with all staff (if possible)
• Tour of premises
• Survey of library/resource areas
• Assessment of research facilities and outputs
• Evaluation of IT provision
• Examination of laboratory and audio-visual equipment
• Visit to refreshment areas
• Meeting with a representative group of staff (without senior managers)
• Observation of teaching, training, and work placement sessions
• Meeting with representative group(s) of students (without staff present)
• Final meeting with the Institution Head to provide an informal report of findings