The contemporary role of HMI in England

The contemporary role of Her Majesty's Inspectorate (HMI) is firmly rooted in the past. HMI as an institution began in 1839 and predates the DES by many years. The essential role of HMI is to advise the Secretary of State for Education. Their central duty is inspection which has three different functions: accountability, information‐providing, and advisory. HMI are professionals, but it is necessary to see this professionalism against a background of amateurism: in the nineteenth century an HMI was generally seen not as an expert but as a gifted amateur.

Since 1981, all HMI reports have been published; this has made their work more visible and often more controversial. HMI have a professional responsibility to preserve the quality of the education service, and although it is not their business to oppose government policies, it is their duty to give a professional view on changes in standards, including those which might have been brought about by government policy. One of the areas in which HMI have acquired considerable expertise over the last 25 years has been curriculum development. They have advocated an entitlement curriculum based not on subjects but on ‘areas of experience’. One of the most important features of HMI is their independence: they are politically independent and have a separate function from that of the DES ‐ they are professionals not bureaucrats: without independence there would be no justification for their continued existence.