UK QAA Mid-cycle review of COBIS Accreditation and Compliance Scheme

The UK QAA mid-cycle review provides further independent validation of the COBIS Accreditation and Compliance Scheme, confirming its continued development and impact as an internationally recognised quality assurance framework.

The review concludes that COBIS is making "excellent progress" since the 2023 review and confirms that the period of accreditation will continue for the full five-year cycle.

The report characterises the COBIS model as a “rigorous, improvement-focused, and contextually sensitive framework”, noting that it supports schools “well beyond compliance” and places clear emphasis on “genuine school improvement rather than snapshot judgement”.

The UK QAA highlights the distinctive nature of the COBIS approach, recognising that accreditation operates as a sustained and developmental process rather than a one-off event. It notes that the scheme delivers assurance that is "valued, trusted and informative", reflecting strong confidence from across the school community.

The review also affirms the importance of the relationships underpinning the accreditation process, with stakeholder feedback reflecting a professional, responsive, and supportive approach to working with schools across diverse international contexts.

Taken together, the findings reinforce the distinctive COBIS model as one that combines rigorous evaluation against internationally relevant standards with a developmental, relationship-based approach that supports continuous improvement.

The UK QAA mid-cycle review was undertaken to evaluate progress since the 2023 full review and to assess the ongoing effectiveness of the COBIS Accreditation and Compliance Scheme within the five-year accreditation cycle.

The review was based on a combination of evidence sources, including:

• Desk-based analysis of documentation, including the COBIS mid-cycle self-evaluation
• Interviews with stakeholders, including school leaders, Lead Improvement Partners (LIPs), and Peer Assessors (PAs)
• Triangulation of evidence, drawing together documentation and stakeholder perspectives

This approach enabled the UK QAA to assess both the design of the framework and its application in practice.

As a mid-cycle review, the focus was on progress against the recommendations of the 2023 review, as well as the impact of enhancements introduced across the scheme. Particular attention was given to the extent to which these developments have strengthened practice and contributed to ongoing school improvement.

The UK QAA mid-cycle review identifies a number of key strengths in the ongoing delivery and impact of the COBIS Accreditation and Compliance Scheme.

A central finding is the continued strength and application of the COBIS quality assurance framework, which is described as a model that is both rigorous and strongly focused on improvement within diverse contexts. The review notes that the scheme supports schools beyond baseline requirements, with a sustained emphasis on meaningful school improvement.  

Our accreditation process is characterised as supporting long-term improvement rather than episodic review, with stakeholders highlighting the depth and continuity of engagement compared to more inspection-based models. This is reflected in stakeholder feedback, which describes the assurance provided as highly valued and seen as having a meaningful impact on school development.

The importance of professional relationships within the process is also emphasised. The review highlights the value of ongoing dialogue between COBIS and schools, and the role this plays in supporting reflection, development, and continuous improvement across a range of contexts.

Three key strengths are evident across stakeholder feedback:

• Rigour and whole-school improvement
  The scheme is recognised as comprehensive, supporting development across all aspects of school provision while maintaining consistent expectations

• A contextualised, developmental approach
  Schools value the ability of COBIS to tailor support to their context, with Lead Improvement Partners carefully matched to schools and ongoing engagement supporting continuous improvement

• Professional trust and assurance
  Accreditation provides confidence to parents, staff, and governors, with strong emphasis on preparation, dialogue, and professional support

The review also highlights the strength of relationships within the process. Stakeholders consistently describe the COBIS approach as:

• “professional, responsive, and relational”
• “human, relational, and supportive”
• “deeply committed to quality assurance and enhancement”

In addition, the UK QAA notes the impact of the scheme across key areas of school provision, including safeguarding, learning and teaching, curriculum, leadership, and student development.

Overall, the review indicates that COBIS continues to deliver a model that combines rigorous standards with a flexible and contextually responsive approach to school improvement.

The UK QAA mid-cycle review also identifies areas where the COBIS Accreditation and Compliance Scheme can continue to evolve and strengthen its impact.

The review recognises the COBIS has implemented a “wide-ranging series of enhancements” since the 2023 review and confirms that all recommendations from that review have been fully met. These developments reflect an ongoing commitment from COBIS to continuous improvement across all aspects of the scheme.

As part of its evaluation, the UK QAA identifies two specific areas for further reflection:

• Engagement of stakeholders in policy design and review
  While stakeholders report strong informal opportunities to provide feedback, the review notes the potential to further develop structured opportunities for input at earlier stages of policy development

• Strategic and external recognition
  The report highlights the importance of continued work to strengthen recognition of COBIS accreditation at a strategic level, including complementary alignment with UK Government frameworks and wider international recognition

The UK QAA also notes the importance of continuing to build on existing strengths, including training, support, and guidance, to ensure consistency and clarity across the scheme.

Taken together, these areas reflect a focus on refinement and enhancement, rather than structural change, and form part of COBIS’s ongoing quality assurance and development cycle.