Annual programme of inspection 2026 to 2027

The Education (Scotland) Act 2025 came into force in March 2026 and established the office of His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education in Scotland.

Section 45 of the Act requires the Chief Inspector to prepare and publish an inspection plan as soon as reasonably practicable after 1 March 2026.

The Chief Inspector is putting arrangements in place for HMIE’s first inspection plan. The plan will be consulted on and laid before the Scottish Parliament.

Pending publication of the full plan, the Chief Inspector has set out the inspections to be carried out in each sector from August 2026.

In academic year 2026/27, HMIE will carry out the following inspection activity.

Early learning and childcare settings

HM Inspectors will carry out at least 150 early learning and childcare inspections across nursery classes and standalone settings, using the shared Quality Improvement Framework for the Early Learning and Childcare sectors. Some will be joint inspections with the Care Inspectorate.

Schools

HM Inspectors will carry out at least 250 school inspections across public, grant-aided and independent schools. They will evaluate and report on quality and improvement in Scottish education using the standards set out in How good is our school 4?

A new framework for school inspections will be developed early 2027. Pilot inspections to test the new school inspection framework will take place in spring 2027, followed by further pilots from summer term 2027 into session 2027/28.

Gaelic language commitments

HM Inspectors of Education will independently evaluate the quality of Gaelic education across sectors. They will promote improvement, inform policy, and provide assurance on standards, quality and improvement to learners, service users, Scottish Ministers and the public.

Further inspections

Based on previous inspection findings, 36 schools, settings, providers or services will require either a further inspection or a report on progress. This number may rise once the 2025/26 inspection programme concludes. Further inspections will be completed within the timescales set out in the original inspection report, with most taking place during this academic year.

Community learning and development services

Taking account of the national strategic direction for CLD, HMIE will explore options for the inspection of CLD and contribute to the work of the CLD Strategic Leadership Group as required.

Prisons

HMIE will work with HM Inspectorate of Prisons in Scotland (HMIPS) on prison inspections covering education and other purposeful activity for prisoners in Scotland. These inspections are planned and managed by HMIPS and typically number four to five each calendar year. Two inspections are scheduled between August and December 2026. Further inspections will be agreed by HMIPS and Scottish Government Ministers for delivery from January 2027.

Modern Apprenticeship training (MAs)

HM Inspectors, in agreement with Scottish Government Ministers, will inspect and evaluate apprenticeship provision across Scotland, including independent training providers, colleges, universities, public bodies, local authorities, employers and managing agents.

Provision varies significantly between providers and is often diverse, involving large numbers of employers and complex subcontracting arrangements. HMIE plans to carry out 12 to 16 inspections in the coming year, depending on provider contract volume, subcontracting arrangements, and the range and accessibility of locations.

Educational oversight inspections

HMIE is a designated provider of educational oversight inspections. These are undertaken on behalf of either the Home Office UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) or Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS).

UKVI inspections apply to providers that wish to recruit international learners on educational visas and deliver programmes up to and including SCQF level 8. Educational oversight inspections take place on demand following an application from the provider. For existing providers, HMIE will undertake regular engagement to assure that oversight standards continue to be met.

HMIE also works in partnership with SAAS to provide educational oversight for providers designated or seeking designation, to receive SAAS funding. HM Inspectors will inspect up to eight SAAS providers in the coming year.

Colleges

HMIE will inspect provision in publicly funded colleges, if requested to do so by Scottish Ministers.

Joint inspections of services for children

In partnership with the Care Inspectorate, HMIE will work with other inspection partners on joint inspections of services for children and young people.

Inspection of local authorities

Trial inspections using the new local authority inspection framework were carried out in two local authorities in June 2026. The programme of trial inspections will continue in Autumn 2026 with a further four local authorities being inspected. The local authority inspection framework will be published early in 2027.

Thematic Inspections

HMIE will undertake thematic inspections.

Thematic inspections commissioned by Scottish Ministers;

• inspections in support of the Curriculum Improvement Cycle
• a review of the quality of provision for deaf children and young people
• a review of the implementation of the gender-based violence in schools framework
• a review of the I-Sgoil interrupted learner provision

Other thematic inspections;

• a review of the quality of home hospital education

Further thematic reviews may be added to the programme subject to available resourcing.

Proposals for changes to school estates

HMIE will evaluate the educational benefits and implications of proposed changes to school estates in all local authorities, in line with the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010. This work includes; proposed closure of schools; opening of new schools, and changes to admissions policies.

Further commitments

Inspection evidence gathered from the 2026/27 programme of school inspections will inform the National Improvement Framework evaluation report by November 2027.

HM Inspectors will continue to work with HM Inspectorate of Constabulary, the Care Inspectorate and Healthcare Improvement Scotland on the national review of group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation.

In addition to the planned inspection programme, HMIE will carry out inspections in response to identified risk or at the request of Scottish Ministers, in line with the Education (Scotland) Act 2025.

The inspection programme will be updated as necessary throughout the year.