Planning

External inspections of MOD Schools and Settings

  • Ministry of Defence

F01: Prior information notice (prior information only)

Notice identifier: 2023/S 000-026894

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-03fbec

Published 12 September 2023, 10:29am



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

Ministry of Defence

Marlborough Lines, Monxton

Andover

SP11 8HT

Contact

Georgina Overton

Email

georgina.overton100@mod.gov.uk

Country

United Kingdom

Region code

UK - United Kingdom

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-defence

one.2) Information about joint procurement

The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body

one.3) Communication

Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Ministry or any other national or federal authority

one.5) Main activity

Defence


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

External inspections of MOD Schools and Settings

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 75121000 - Administrative educational services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

To undertake external inspections of Defence Children Services (DCS) schools and settings in 10 countries overseas.

two.1.5) Estimated total value

Value excluding VAT: £750,000

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

two.2) Description

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 80490000 - Operation of an educational centre

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UK - United Kingdom

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

To undertake external inspections of Defence Children Services (DCS) schools and settings in 10 countries overseas.

Organisations accredited by DfE must comply with a common set of standards established by DfE, which are used to inspect independent schools in England aligned to suit schools in overseas contexts.

n essential element of the inspection is to be a consideration of the extent to which the British character of the school is evident in its ethos, curriculum, teaching, care for pupils and pupils’ achievements. Membership of the BSO Scheme ensures that DCS schools provide their pupils with the skills and qualifications they need to enter and re-enter the British education system. The scheme also helps to inform parents about how the standards in DCS schools measure up against the standards that apply to independent schools in England and provides parents and others with assurance that a school has been robustly inspected. DfE host the BSO inspection reports on their website to allow unrestricted public access for parents and other key stakeholders.

Inspections of each school and setting are to be scheduled for every three years and must be conducted during term-time and within school or setting hours. The inspections must determine whether each school or setting’s performance meets all the standards, and the inspection report must cover:

The extent to which the standards are met;

The quality of education or care being provided;

The distinctiveness of each school;

Whether there is evidence that local requirements are being met;

Whether the school is providing a British education that has similar characteristics to an education in an independent school in England in terms of its ethos, curriculum, teaching, care for pupils and pupils’ achievements;

Whether the school is providing their pupils with the skills and qualifications they need to enter and re-enter the British education system.

two.2.14) Additional information

The provider will inspect each of the DCS schools and settings at least once over a three-year cycle, in accordance with the Standards issued by the DfE on 23 November 2016, for overseas schools covered under the BSO Scheme. The primary output of these inspections will be a report that assesses the performance of the school or setting in terms of the delivery of education, safeguarding and care of

two.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice

1 November 2023


Section four. Procedure

four.1) Description

four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes