Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education
Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) is an executive agency of the Scottish Government, responsible for the inspection of public and independent, primary and secondary schools, as well as further education colleges, community learning, Local Authority Education Departments and teacher education.
HMIE is headed by Her Majesty's Senior Chief Inspector of Education. The current post holder is Bill Maxwell, and the Inspectorate has its headquarters in Denholm House, Livingston. Its remit is far wider than its English counterpart, the Office for Standards in Education, and has a history dating back to 1840. HMIE's equivalent in Wales is Estyn, with a similar remit, including adult education.
On 14 October 2010, Cabinet Secretary for Education, announced that HMIe would be subsumed, along with Learning and Teaching Scotland into a new body named the Scottish Education Quality and Improvement Agency.
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[edit] History
The first HM Inspector of Schools (HMI) was appointed in 1840. The rationale for the first appointments of HMI linked inspection to “the improvement of elementary education” and charged HMI to say “what improvements in the apparatus and internal management of schools, in school management and discipline, and in the methods of teaching have been sanctioned by the most extensive experience.” The particular focus in Scotland on combining inspection with self-evaluation has been central to the drive to raise educational standards.
Following the Scotland Act 1998 the Inspectorate was made an Executive Agency of the Scottish Government, and the HMSCI is answerable to the Scottish Ministers for the running of the Inspectorate and the whole inspection system in Scotland.
[edit] Remit
HMIE is charged with inspecting the quality of education in pre-school centres, primary schools, secondary schools, special schools, community learning and development, further education colleges, initial teacher education, residential educational provision and the education functions of local authorities and services for children.
Following the passing of the Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc. 2000 Act the focus of HMIE shifted to how this legislation is being implemented. It brought new statutory powers to inspect the education functions of local authorities.
