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School Accreditation

Who is school accreditation for?

Primary and secondary schools, international and bilingual schools, and school groups — campus-based, online, or hybrid. For schools serving expatriate and internationally mobile families, accreditation provides the independent verification that parents, embassies, and receiving schools look for when judging an unfamiliar school.

What do inspectors assess?

School inspections give particular weight to the environment children learn in:

• Curriculum breadth, progression, and delivery across age ranges
• Safeguarding and child protection: recruitment checks, designated safeguarding lead, reporting procedures, and risk assessment — reviewed in depth at every school inspection
• Teaching quality and classroom practice, directly observed
• Student welfare, pastoral care, and behaviour culture
• Staff qualifications, induction, and professional development
• Premises, play areas, and occupational health and safety
• Leadership, governance, and honest communication with parents

All criteria derive from the ten Accredo Standards, aligned with the ESG framework.

How does the process work?

1. Register & scoping callCreate an account, complete registration, and join an online knowledge-exploration session so we understand your context.
2. Self-evaluation & evidenceSubmit the application with documentation mapped to the standards above.
3. Desk reviewInspectors assess your evidence and request clarification where needed.
4. InspectionOn-site or virtual: observed teaching, facility review, and interviews with leadership, staff, and students.
5. Report, decision & awardA graded written report goes to the Accreditation Board; successful institutions are accredited for four years.
6. Annual monitoringYearly returns and an agreed improvement plan through to reaccreditation in year four.

Typical duration: three to six months. Institutions must have taught a student cohort for at least three months before inspection. Full detail: the inspection process.

What are the benefits?

• Independent verification parents and receiving schools can check on a public register
• A safeguarding framework benchmarked against international practice — with Accredo training support to build it
• Smoother student transitions between accredited schools internationally
• Stronger position in teacher recruitment: accredited status signals a serious employer
• Annual monitoring and improvement planning across the four-year cycle
• Affordable entry via Accredo Membership for schools building toward full accreditation

Frequently asked questions