What is ISI inspection and why does it matter?
The Independent Schools Inspectorate is the body responsible for inspecting all independent schools in the UK. For families unfamiliar with the British system, the simplest way to understand ISI is to think of it as the independent-sector equivalent of Ofsted, the body that inspects state-funded schools. Both report to the UK Department for Education, both apply the same statutory standards, and both publish their findings publicly. When a Sixth Form Cambridge college such as St Andrew’s says it has been inspected, it means that an external team has visited the college, observed teaching, interviewed students and staff, examined safeguarding records and reviewed every aspect of education and welfare against the same standards used across the country.
As a member of the Independent Schools Association, St Andrew’s College Cambridge is inspected by ISI on a regular cycle. Our most recent ISI inspection Cambridge college visit took place in November 2025 and confirmed that St Andrew’s meets all of the required standards. The reports below cover every inspection from 2015 onwards.
What did the latest ISI inspection say about St Andrew’s College Cambridge?
The November 2025 ISI inspection confirmed that St Andrew’s meets all standards across the four areas inspectors examine. Inspectors recognised the strength of leadership and the quality of management across the college, the quality of education and the breadth of the academic curriculum offered to students, the standard of pastoral care and pupil wellbeing through the boarding houses, and the rigour of safeguarding and child-protection arrangements across day and boarding provision. The full report is available below as a downloadable PDF, alongside every previous report back to 2015.
How is St Andrew’s inspected and regulated?
St Andrew’s College Cambridge is a member of the Independent Schools Association, regulated by the UK Department for Education through ISI as our inspecting body. We are also a member of the British Boarding Schools’ Network, accredited by NCFE for our Pre A-Level course, and part of the Dukes Education family. Each of these bodies brings its own oversight: ISI for statutory standards, ISA for sector membership, NCFE for course accreditation, and Dukes for group-wide professional standards.
How often is St Andrew’s inspected?
ISI inspects independent schools on a rolling cycle, typically every three to six years, with interim safeguarding inspections in between where appropriate. Each visit produces a published report. The list below holds every inspection we have received from 2015 onwards, so families can see how the college has developed over time rather than relying on a single snapshot.
We are delighted to share the results of our Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) Inspection, November 2025, which confirm that St Andrew’s College, Cambridge meets all applicable Independent School Standards across leadership, education quality, pastoral care, pupil wellbeing, and safeguarding.
This routine inspection by the ISI — the body appointed by the UK Department for Education to inspect independent schools — validates the strength of St Andrew’s academic and pastoral provision under the current inspection framework. The outcome reflects our ongoing commitment to providing a supportive and purposeful learning environment for every student.
