Hampshire Inspection and Advisory Service (HIAS)

provided by the Children's Services department

The work of the Hampshire Inspection and Advisory Service (HIAS)

For further information about the curriculum in Hampshire, please visit: www3.hants.gov.uk/education/hias/curriculum.



HIAS exists to promote and sustain continuous improvement in the standards achieved by Hampshire pupils and students and in the quality of their education.

We set out to achieve this mission by:

  1. building capacity for success in self-managing schools through:
    • the work of SIPs in all schools (target setting, improvement planning)
    • recruitment and training of governors
    • supporting the recruitment, appointment and induction of headteachers
    • supporting the recruitment, appointment and induction of other senior and middle managers
    • implementing a management development programme for headteachers and other senior staff
    • providing schools with hard and soft data relating to them so that they can compare and benchmark their performance as part of their self-evaluation
    • providing clear messages to schools about the county's priorities based on the LA's performance data and analysis
  2. providing high-quality support services to schools for purchase to help schools work on their own improvement strategies through:
    • the Inspection and Advisory Service
    • the Hampshire Teaching and Leadership College (HTLC)
  3. identifying and disseminating effective practice through:
    • targeted research in leadership, management, teaching and the curriculum
    • validated self-selection (of good practice)
    • working with Beacon schools
    • the day-to-day work of inspector/advisers
    • high-quality training programme and networks for schools
  4. helping schools in particular areas to work together to improve, for example:
    • curriculum support groups
    • development groups
    • local networks
    • short-term local support appointments
  5. improving the weak parts of otherwise effective schools through:
    • targeted support for literacy
    • targeted support for numeracy
    • targeted support to weak departments in secondary schools
    • targeted support to identified teachers and leaders/managers
  6. preventing school failure - tackling weaknesses in schools which:
    • are underperforming
    • are underachieving
    • lack the capacity to improve by themselves
    • require short-term support
  7. improving the weakest schools:
    • those with serious weaknesses
    • those in special measures.

The work of HIAS is measured by the impact this work has on the outcomes achieved by schools for pupils.

Working with the whole of the Children's Services Department/County Council in working for school improvement

A great deal of work goes on in the rest of the Children's Services Department, and the County Council, which supports the work of HIAS. Most important are:

  • implementing and monitoring provision based on 'Every Child Matters'
  • ensuring that children are given the best possible start in their education so that, wherever possible, parents are supported in preparing their children for learning and school
  • provision of places for pupils in good-quality schools
  • making sure that pupils are well behaved and that schools are supported in helping pupils who are not
  • ensuring that pupils with special educational needs (SEN), of whatever nature, are well catered for and achieve well
  • ensuring that children live in communities where there is a richness in educational provision, sport, music, health and lifelong learning
  • ensuring that schools and students are well supported through the Connexions strategy.

Contact details for the Hampshire Inspection and Advisory Service (HIAS)

Linda Elliott, Publications and Information Officer

HIAS Publications and Information Unit
Winchester Local Office
Clarendon House
Monarch Way
Winchester
SO22 5PW

Tel: 01962 876264

Fax: 01962 876275

E-mail: linda.elliott@hants.gov.uk