Education and Childcare Inspector

Education and childcare inspectors have varying duties, including inspecting independent schools, sixth-form and further education colleges, youth support services, teacher training and local education authorities, monitoring schools in Special Measures and advising on various aspects of education, including curriculum subjects. They also inspect child minders, day care nurseries, creches, out-of-school clubs and sessional care providers, and investigate complaints about childcare providers.

Regular school inspections generally take three to five days to complete; childcare inspections generally one day or less. Inspectors work from home and carry out inspections within the region in which they live.
Salaries range from £21,914 to £56,000 a year.
Inspectors need to be fair, honest and capable of being objective, as inspection reports must be truthful and unbiased. They must be able to exercise good judgement and be good at planning and organising their work. Understanding how to deal with sensitive and confidential information and the ability to build trusting relationships with people are important skills.

Opportunities to work as an inspector vary in the different countries of the United Kingdom. In England Ofsted employs approximately 250 HMIs. There is no guarantee of work for enrolled or registered inspectors. There are currently about 5,800 Ofsted registered and team inspectors.
A similar situation applies to Wales as in England for registered, team and lay inspectors. In Scotland there are currently around 80 HMIs. Competition to become an HMI is always very strong.
To be one of Her Majesty's Inspectors, candidates need to have professional knowledge of education, and normally have a degree. Inspection work is only open to adult applicants.
In England, HMIs may progress to be assistant divisional managers or divisional managers. In Scotland, they may progress to higher grades.