Schools and colleges 2007-2008

CSSIW has responsibility for the inspection of welfare provision in boarding schools, residential special schools and further education colleges in Wales.

There are currently 1,683 residential places in special schools which is more than triple the number of places available within children’s homes. The education provision in these schools is subject to separate inspection by Estyn. The residential care aspects of these schools play an important part in the children’s education. CSSIW inspects the school against specific national minimum standards issued by the Welsh Assembly Government to assess whether the schools are satisfactorily safeguarding and promoting the welfare of pupils who board there.

CSSIW has continued to work with Estyn where possible, largely involving information exchange. CSSIW is actively working with all the other inspectorates to develop an underpinning multi agency framework of inspection that will support proportionate and targeted inspection.

There are 11 boarding schools in Wales providing 1,198 places for children under eighteen and five further education colleges providing 196 boarding places for the same age group. The residential boarding provision in these schools and colleges is inspected by CSSIW every three years. The outcomes from the last cycle of inspections were reported in the 2004-05 annual report and will next be reported at the end of the current three year cycle.

There are 13 residential special schools offering a total of 289 boarding places. The boarding provision in these schools is inspected annually by CSSIW and is summarized in this report.