Scope
Procurement description
Bradford Diocesan Academies Trust (BDAT) is seeking to procure school improvement review services to lead 1-day onsite education quality assurance reviews (assisted by BDAT senior colleagues) across the 21 BDAT academies, all of which are located within the Bradford Local Authority area. The purpose of the reviews are:
• To provide independently verified education insights into the progress and performance of each of our academies and to give support and challenge to enable further school improvement.
• To ensure appropriate support & challenge, which drives holistic improvement in relation to the school and MAT professional challenge and feedback.
• To provide a professional development opportunity for BDAT school leaders to undertake external reviews to support development of wider educational knowledge and experience and to share effective practice across the MAT.
• The reviews form a pillar of the MAT Quality Assurance and Evaluation oversight providing independent education insight.
The service will commence from 1st Jan 2027. The initial contract will be for 3 years with the option to extend for another 2 years.
The service is to run on-site school improvement reviews for each location. The focus of the reviews will be agreed in advance for each academy based on the school's own self-evaluation, school development plans and feedback on areas for improvement in previous external reviews. The reviews are not designed to be "mocksted" inspections, although inevitably areas for scrutiny will often mirror areas within the Ofsted inspection framework.
Each review is anticipated to take approximately two days including half a day preparation, one day on site conducting the quality assurance review and half a day to produce a summary report for the school, Trust leaders, governors and Trustees.
Cross phase tender submissions for all 21 academy reviews are encouraged. However, BDAT reserves the right to award the contract as a single requirement or to divide the requirement into Lots structured by school phase, comprising a Primary Schools Lot and a Secondary Schools Lot. Tenderers may submit bids for either Lot individually, or the full requirement. Tenderers should be clear which Lots there are bidding for.
Total value (estimated)
180000 GBP Including VAT
Contract dates (estimated)
01 January 2027, 00:00AM to 31 December 2029, 23:59PM
Extension end date (if all the extensions are used): 31 December 2031
Lots
Divided into 2 lots
Educational Standard Reviews - Primary phase
Lot number: 1 Description
This lot focuses on the Primary phase, with 16 primary schools across the Bradford local authority area.
Bradford Diocesan Academies Trust (BDAT) is seeking to procure school improvement review services to lead 1-day onsite education quality assurance reviews (assisted by BDAT senior colleagues) across the 16 Primary Schools, all of which are located within the Bradford Local Authority area. The purpose of the reviews are:
• To provide independently verified education insights into the progress and performance of each of our academies and to give support and challenge to enable further school improvement.
• To ensure appropriate support & challenge, which drives holistic improvement in relation to the school and MAT professional challenge and feedback.
• To provide a professional development opportunity for BDAT school leaders to undertake external reviews to support development of wider educational knowledge and experience and to share effective practice across the MAT.
• The reviews form a pillar of the MAT Quality Assurance and Evaluation oversight providing independent education insight.
The service will commence from 1st Jan 2027. The initial contract will be for 3 years with the option to extend for another 2 years.
The service is to run on-site school improvement reviews for each location. The focus of the reviews will be agreed in advance for each academy based on the school's own self-evaluation, school development plans and feedback on areas for improvement in previous external reviews. The reviews are not designed to be "mocksted" inspections, although inevitably areas for scrutiny will often mirror areas within the Ofsted inspection framework.
Each review is anticipated to take approximately two days including half a day preparation, one day on site conducting the quality assurance review and half a day to produce a summary report for the school, Trust leaders, governors and Trustees.
Whilst this lot focuses on the Primary phase, cross-phase tender submissions for all 21 academy reviews are encouraged. Tenderers should be clear which Lots there are bidding for.
CPV classifications
- 80100000 - Primary education services
Lot value (estimated)
130000 GBP Including VAT
Sustainability
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
Contract start date (estimated)
01 January 2027, 00:00AM
Contract end date (estimated)
31 December 2029, 23:59PM
Extension end date (estimated)
31 December 2031, 23:59PM
Can the contract be extended?
Yes
Description of extensions
The initial contract will be for 3 years, with the option to extend for another 2 years.
Participation
Conditions of participation
As an Employer of Choice and aligned to BDAT's commitment to fairness and social responsibility, we expect that all staff that form part of this Contract will receive the Real Living Wage as a minimum. For further information please visit - www.livingwage.org.uk/
Compliance with relevant safeguarding procedures for schools (including, but not limited to, enhanced DBS checks).
Allow a mechanism for potential future schools to join the Contract.
Award criteria
Type: price
Name
Price
Description
Clear cost breakdown or price per review and total cost for each academic year, inclusive of any anticipated expenses.
Weighting: 40
Weighting type: percentageExact
Type: quality
Name
Quality Assurance experience
Description
Please provide details of your experience leading school improvement quality assurance reviews in comparable educational settings
Weighting: 10
Weighting type: percentageExact
Type: quality
Name
Expertise and Qualifications
Description
Please provide details of your credibility, expertise and professional standing of the proposed review team, including relevant qualifications and track record.
Weighting: 10
Weighting type: percentageExact
Type: quality
Name
Ofsted inspection experience
Description
Please provide details of your current and relevant experience of Ofsted inspection activity and/or senior leadership experience in school improvement.
Weighting: 10
Weighting type: percentageExact
Type: quality
Name
Relevant phase experience
Description
Please provide details of your proven knowledge and experience of working within the relevant educational phase(s) and context.
Weighting: 10
Weighting type: percentageExact
Type: quality
Name
Alignment with BDAT values
Description
Please provide details of the compatibility of your vision, value and ethos with the BDAT culture, values, ethos and ways of working
Weighting: 10
Weighting type: percentageExact
Type: quality
Name
Quality of Report writing
Description
Please provide details of the quality, clarity and impact of report writing, evidenced through submitted examples of previous review reports.
Weighting: 10
Weighting type: percentageExact
Educational Standard Reviews - Secondary Phase
Lot number: 2 Description
This lot focuses on the Secondary phase, with 16 primary schools across the Bradford local authority area.
Bradford Diocesan Academies Trust (BDAT) is seeking to procure school improvement review services to lead 1-day onsite education quality assurance reviews (assisted by BDAT senior colleagues) across the 5 Secondary Schools, all of which are located within the Bradford Local Authority area. The purpose of the reviews are:
• To provide independently verified education insights into the progress and performance of each of our academies and to give support and challenge to enable further school improvement.
• To ensure appropriate support & challenge, which drives holistic improvement in relation to the school and MAT professional challenge and feedback.
• To provide a professional development opportunity for BDAT school leaders to undertake external reviews to support development of wider educational knowledge and experience and to share effective practice across the MAT.
• The reviews form a pillar of the MAT Quality Assurance and Evaluation oversight providing independent education insight.
The service will commence from 1st Jan 2027. The initial contract will be for 3 years with the option to extend for another 2 years.
The service is to run on-site school improvement reviews for each location. The focus of the reviews will be agreed in advance for each academy based on the school's own self-evaluation, school development plans and feedback on areas for improvement in previous external reviews. The reviews are not designed to be "mocksted" inspections, although inevitably areas for scrutiny will often mirror areas within the Ofsted inspection framework.
Each review is anticipated to take approximately two days including half a day preparation, one day on site conducting the quality assurance review and half a day to produce a summary report for the school, Trust leaders, governors and Trustees.
Whilst this lot focuses on the Secondary phase, cross-phase tender submissions for all 21 academy reviews are encouraged. Tenderers should be clear which Lots there are bidding for.
CPV classifications
- 80200000 - Secondary education services
Lot value (estimated)
50000 GBP Including VAT
Sustainability
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
Contract start date (estimated)
01 January 2027, 00:00AM
Contract end date (estimated)
31 December 2029, 23:59PM
Extension end date (estimated)
31 December 2031, 23:59PM
Can the contract be extended?
Yes
Description of extensions
The initial contract will be for 3 years, with the option to extend for another 2 years.
Participation
Conditions of participation
As an Employer of Choice and aligned to BDAT's commitment to fairness and social responsibility, we expect that all staff that form part of this Contract will receive the Real Living Wage as a minimum. For further information please visit - www.livingwage.org.uk/
Compliance with relevant safeguarding procedures for schools (including, but not limited to, enhanced DBS checks).
Allow a mechanism for potential future schools to join the Contract.
Award criteria
Type: price
Name
Price
Description
Clear cost breakdown or price per review and total cost for each academic year, inclusive of any anticipated expenses.
Weighting: 40
Weighting type: percentageExact
Type: quality
Name
Quality Assurance experience
Description
Please provide details of your experience leading school improvement quality assurance reviews in comparable educational settings
Weighting: 10
Weighting type: percentageExact
Type: quality
Name
Expertise and Qualifications
Description
Please provide details of your credibility, expertise and professional standing of the proposed review team, including relevant qualifications and track record.
Weighting: 10
Weighting type: percentageExact
Type: quality
Name
Ofsted inspection experience
Description
Please provide details of your current and relevant experience of Ofsted inspection activity and/or senior leadership experience in school improvement.
Weighting: 10
Weighting type: percentageExact
Type: quality
Name
Relevant phase experience
Description
Please provide details of your proven knowledge and experience of working within the relevant educational phase(s) and context.
Weighting: 10
Weighting type: percentageExact
Type: quality
Name
Alignment with BDAT values
Description
Please provide details of the compatibility of your vision, value and ethos with the BDAT culture, values, ethos and ways of working
Weighting: 10
Weighting type: percentageExact
Type: quality
Name
Quality of Report writing
Description
Please provide details of the quality, clarity and impact of report writing, evidenced through submitted examples of previous review reports.
Weighting: 10
Weighting type: percentageExact
Award criteria
Type: price
Name
Price
Description
Clear cost breakdown or price per review and total cost for each academic year, inclusive of any anticipated expenses.
Weighting: 40
Weighting type: percentageExact
Type: quality
Name
Quality Assurance experience
Description
Please provide details of your experience leading school improvement quality assurance reviews in comparable educational settings
Weighting: 10
Weighting type: percentageExact
Type: quality
Name
Expertise and Qualifications
Description
Please provide details of your credibility, expertise and professional standing of the proposed review team, including relevant qualifications and track record.
Weighting: 10
Weighting type: percentageExact
Type: quality
Name
Ofsted inspection experience
Description
Please provide details of your current and relevant experience of Ofsted inspection activity and/or senior leadership experience in school improvement.
Weighting: 10
Weighting type: percentageExact
Type: quality
Name
Relevant phase experience
Description
Please provide details of your proven knowledge and experience of working within the relevant educational phase(s) and context.
Weighting: 10
Weighting type: percentageExact
Type: quality
Name
Alignment with BDAT values
Description
Please provide details of the compatibility of your vision, value and ethos with the BDAT culture, values, ethos and ways of working
Weighting: 10
Weighting type: percentageExact
Type: quality
Name
Quality of Report writing
Description
Please provide details of the quality, clarity and impact of report writing, evidenced through submitted examples of previous review reports.
Weighting: 10
Weighting type: percentageExact