Registration quality standards for online schools

The school’s mission and educational values

We require that:

1. The school has a clear mission statement that makes reference to its educational values.
2. The culture of the school is learner-centred and supports students and teachers to become confident, responsible, reflective, innovative and engaged.
3. International awareness and global perspectives are promoted through the curriculum and other activities.
4. Relationships between staff and students are positive, demonstrate mutual respect, and the school has established consistent expectations of behaviour.

School management and leadership

We require that:

1. The school principal is suitably qualified and experienced in educational leadership.
2. The senior management team and the governing body demonstrate clear goals for the successful introduction of Cambridge programmes and can evidence planning to support effective implementation.
3. Senior staff are committed to setting targets for school improvement and staff development, supported by well-designed performance review and self-evaluation.
4. There is effective and transparent management of school budgets.
5. A complaints procedure is in place that effectively manages complaints for parents and other stakeholders.
6. The academic leadership and education technology teams clearly articulate how the school’s approach to teaching and learning is developed and supported in an online environment.
7. The school has a good understanding of its responsibilities as set out in the Cambridge Handbook.

Quality of teaching and learning

We require that:

1. The school is appropriately resourced with sufficient staff employed in management, teaching and support roles.
2. The school curriculum is clearly expressed and accessible to teachers, students and their parents.
3. Assessment outcomes are monitored and evaluated with clear feedback into teaching and learning strategies.
4. Teachers have appropriate qualifications or experience to deliver Cambridge programmes successfully in an online environment.
5. Teaching takes account of students’ diverse learning styles and individual needs.
6. The school has a well-designed approach to the professional development of teachers and other staff, with particular regard to best practices in online teaching and learning.
7. The school has a clear policy to address the language needs of learners.

The online provision of the school

We require that:

1. The use of technology provides safe and secure conditions for learning.
2. The online provision encourages active learning and collaborative learning, which fulfils the school’s mission and educational values.
3. Approaches to technology ensure full access for all - adaptable for all user requirements, on any device – meeting best practice accessibility and usability standards.
4. The school provides access to, and guides students in their use of, suitable online resources and tools.

Legal requirements

1. The school must demonstrate it has legal approval to operate in the country in which it is registered, as well as to enrol students from other countries where appropriate.
2. The school must provide evidence of policies and approach to digital privacy and eSafety, in line with government requirements for the territories in which it operates.
3. The school makes criminal and child protection checks on staff who will have contact with students, in line with government requirements for the territories in which it operates.
4. The school complies with government requirements for copyright and content licensing in the territories in which it operates.