British schools overseas: accreditation process and support
Source: gov.uk (2025-04-16)

How to apply for the voluntary accreditation scheme for British schools overseas (BSO), the accreditation process, removing accreditation and where to find support.

Applying to become a BSO

BSO is DfE’s voluntary accreditation scheme for overseas schools.

Schools must demonstrate they meet the British schools overseas: standards for schools (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/british-schools-overseas-standards-for-schools) to get BSO accreditation. Approved inspectorates will use these standards when they inspect a school.

These standards are comparable with:

the independent school standards (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/regulating-independent-schools)

the national minimum standards for boarding schools (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/boarding-schools-national-minimum-standards)

They show how BSOs align with the standards used to regulate independent schools in England.

Accreditation as a BSO

To achieve BSO accreditation, a school will need to:
- arrange an inspection by an approved inspectorate
- show to the inspectorate that the school meets the BSO standards
Maintaining BSO accreditation is conditional on a school having an inspection every 3 years. This will be done by an approved inspectorate, to show that the school continues to meet the BSO standards.

Arrange an inspection

DfE approve organisations to inspect overseas schools seeking BSO accreditation and produce inspection reports. The organisations are:
- Education Development Trust (https://www.educationdevelopmenttrust.com/)
- Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) (http://www.isi.net/)
- Penta International (https://www.pentainternational.co.uk/)
Ofsted monitor these inspectorates and report on the quality of their inspections (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/inspectorates-of-british-schools-overseas-annual-ofsted-report-letters) yearly.

Schools in Dubai should request an inspection through the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (https://www.khda.gov.ae/en/) of the Government of Dubai, which works in partnership with the Education Development Trust.

Inspection fees

DfE has no role in setting fees for BSO inspections. These are set by the inspectorate.

What happens after an inspection

Inspection reports

Inspectorates publish the results of all inspections on their websites.

DfE publish the most recent BSO inspection report (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/british-schools-overseas-inspection-reports) of all accredited BSO schools.

School reference number

If a school meets the standards, it will be allocated a unique reference number on the national school reference system, Get Information about Schools (https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/).

Early career teachers (ECTs)

Schools without BSO accreditation cannot offer statutory induction to ECTs. The requirements are explained in the statutory induction for early career teachers guidance (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/induction-for-early-career-teachers-england).

Support for BSOs

The following organisations support BSOs in arranging and preparing for inspections. BSOs must be a member of one of these organisations as a requirement for providing statutory teacher induction (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/induction-for-early-career-teachers-england) to ECTs:
- Association of British Schools Overseas (AoBSO) (http://aobso.uk/)
- British Schools in the Middle East (BSME) (http://www.bsme.org.uk/)
- Council of British International Schools (COBIS) (http://www.cobis.org.uk/)
- Federation of British International Schools in Asia (FOBISIA) (http://www.fobisia.org/)
- Latin American Heads Conference (LAHC) (https://www.lahc.net)
- The National Association of British Schools in Spain (NABSS) (http://www.nabss.org/)
- Independent Association of Prep Schools (IAPS) (https://iaps.uk/)
How DfE removes accreditation from a BSO

DfE will take the following practical steps to remove accreditation:
- remove the BSO’s unique reference number (URN) from the list of BSOs on Get Information about Schools (https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/)
- remove the published BSO inspection report from the list of British Schools Overseas: accredited inspection reports published on GOV.UK (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/british-schools-overseas-inspection-reports/british-schools-overseas-accredited-schools-inspection-reports)
- notify the inspectorate that last inspected the school
- where the school is a member of a recognised BSO associate body, notify that body
- write to the school confirming these steps have taken place and accreditation has been removed
Any BSO that has had its accreditation removed is free to apply again for ‘renewed’ BSO accreditation and seek a further inspection.

There are 4 broad scenarios where DfE may engage with a BSO about removing its BSO accreditation.

BSO asks for accreditation to be removed

A BSO approaches DfE and asks for its accreditation to be removed.

DfE will immediately follow the steps set out in How DfE removes accreditation from a BSO (#removing-accreditation).

BSO has no plans to be re-inspected

Where a BSO advises DfE that it has no plans to be reinspected and no longer wants to be a BSO when its 3-year accreditation period ends, DfE will remove the BSO’s accreditation following the process in How DfE removes accreditation from a BSO (#removing-accreditation) the day after the BSO’s accreditation expires.

BSO accreditation expiring

DfE will contact a BSO 6 months before the end of its 3-year accreditation period to ask for confirmation of the school’s plans. If the BSO intends to remain accredited, the BSO will be asked to provide DfE with a date for the inspection which will be confirmed with the inspectorate.

Where DfE does not hear back from the BSO, 1 month before the end of the BSO’s 3-year accreditation period DfE will issue a final reminder to the BSO asking for confirmation of its plans. DfE will also notify the BSO that if it fails to supply the relevant reinspection information DfE will remove the BSO’s accreditation at the expiry of its accreditation.

Before the expiry of a BSO’s 3-year accreditation period, a BSO may approach DfE and ask for its accreditation period to be extended. DfE expects that this will only happen where re-inspection has not or cannot take place before the end of the accreditation period, and this is due to factors outside of the BSO’s control. DfE will consider such requests on a case-by-case basis.

The day after the BSO’s accreditation expires, DfE will remove the BSO’s accreditation, unless DfE has:
- received a new inspection report, or
- confirmation from an inspectorate that an inspection has been carried out and an inspection report is being drafted, or
- granted an extension request
The BSO’s accreditation will be treated as expired and removed as set out in How DfE removes accreditation from a BSO (#removing-accreditation).

Risk to the integrity of the scheme

BSO accreditation generally lasts for 3 years. However, in exceptional circumstances DfE may intervene during the accreditation period. A possible outcome of this intervention may be the removal of the BSO’s accreditation.

Whilst not an exhaustive list, exceptional circumstances may include:
- safeguarding failings (generally systemic - not individual case related)
- extremism concerns (generally systemic - not individual case related)
DfE may become aware of the BSO’s behaviour from a variety of sources. For example, this could be from:
- information provided by an approved inspectorate
- a news outlet in the country
- a whistleblower
Where DfE consider that the BSO’s behaviour may be such that it is posing a risk to the integrity of the scheme, DfE will write to the BSO setting out its concerns, the fact that it is considering removing the school’s BSO accreditation and any information it is relying upon and ask for representations to be made to DfE.

The BSO has a period of 2 weeks, from the date the notification is sent to the BSO, to make written representations as to why its actions are not risking the integrity of the scheme.

Where no representations are received in the 2 week period DfE, after 2 weeks and a day, will remove BSO accreditation following the process set out in How DfE removes accreditation from a BSO (#removing-accreditation).

If DfE receive representations that satisfactorily demonstrate the BSO scheme’s integrity is not at risk, DfE will confirm this in writing to the BSO and the matter will be closed.

Where DfE receive representations and still consider the BSO to be threatening the integrity of the scheme, DfE will write to the BSO confirming this is the case, the rationale behind it and confirm that DfE intend to remove the BSO’s accreditation.

Where a BSO disagrees with DfE’s decision, the BSO may request that the decision is reviewed. The request must be made in writing to xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx) within 2 weeks of DfE giving notice in writing of its decision. Unless DfE agree with the BSO, information relevant to the original decision which DfE didn’t have at the time the decision was made, or evidence of a material change of circumstances since the time of the decision, will not be considered. The membership of the review panel will not include the original decision-maker. The decision of the review panel will be final and will be notified to the BSO in writing.

Where a school does not ask for a review, DfE will remove BSO accreditation 2 weeks and 1 day after notifying the BSO in writing of the decision, following the process set out in How DfE removes accreditation from a BSO (#removing-accreditation).

Where a BSO asks for a review and the review panel agree with the original decision, accreditation will be removed the day after the BSO is notified of the review panel’s decision, following the process set out in How DfE removes accreditation from a BSO (#removing-accreditation).

If the review panel disagree with DfE’s original decision to remove accreditation, DfE will confirm this in writing to the BSO and the matter will be closed.

Jurisdiction

DfE has no jurisdiction over schools operating outside England.

All BSOs should have a complaints procedure in place, in compliance with BSO standard 7, which is outlined in the British schools overseas: standards for schools (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/british-schools-overseas-standards-for-schools). Complaints about a BSO should be made directly to the school.

Contact

Any queries should be sent to xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx).