Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools

SIAMS inspection focuses on the effect that the Christian ethos of the church school has on the children and young people who attend it. Church schools will employ a variety of strategies and styles, which reflect their particular local context or church tradition in order to be distinctive and effective. Inspectors will, therefore, not be looking to apply a preconceived template of what a church school should be like.

The principal objective of SIAMS inspection is to evaluate the distinctiveness and effectiveness of the school as a church school.

Towards this objective, inspectors seek answers to seven key 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 is 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?

The National Society's Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS) framework is used in all Section 48 inspections of Church of England schools and in the denominational inspection of academies.

Where can we find more information about worship and religious education?

Please see our Christian Vision and Values pages, alongside our Religious Education curriculum page to find out more about how we