Our activities

The activities of the Swedish Schools Inspectorate consist of several different facets. Here is a short description of them. Our overall objective is to help engender good education in a safe environment.

The commission of the Swedish Schools Inspectorate

It is the principal organizer of a school, that is, a municipality or the operator of an independent school, which is responsible for its quality and results. The role of the Swedish Schools Inspectorate is to monitor and scrutinize. In connection with these supervisory and quality auditing activities, the Swedish Schools Inspectorate provides advice and guidance as to what a school needs to rectify on the basis of the requirements of legislation.

Anyone may make a complaint

Anyone, for example parents and students, may report grievances to the Swedish Schools Inspectorate. These might relate to degrading treatment or support a student should have been given, but also to other problems. The Swedish Schools Inspectorate investigates these matters and makes a decision as to what the school needs to do.
Making a complaint

The Child and School Student Representative

The Child and School Student Representative, BEO, has an independent role at the Swedish Schools Inspectorate. BEO is appointed by the government to come to a decision about complaints relating to degrading treatment in schools. BEO may, on behalf of a student, call for damages from the principal organizer and pursue these matters versus municipalities and independent principal organizers. BEO also has an informatory role with regard to legislation governing the protection of children and students against degrading treatment.
The Child and School Student Representative

Regular supervision

The Swedish Schools Inspectorates conducts regular supervision of all municipal and independent schools, from pre-school to adult education. Activities are scrutinized on a number of points. Our decision states in which areas a school is failing to meet national requirements. At a seminar with those responsible from the municipality and school, we discuss the areas where improvements are needed.

The Swedish Schools Inspectorate may make use of penalties and apply pressure so that a principal organizer rectifies its activities. If the principal organizer does not take action or seriously disregards its obligations, the Swedish Schools Inspectorate may to decide to impose a conditional fine or measures at the principal organizer's expense. In the case of an independent school, its licence to operate may be revoked.

Quality audits

Quality audits deal with well-defined areas, for example a special matter or problem area within the school. Every school we scrutinize receives a decision about what it needs to develop and improve in that area. The experience gained, also good examples, are summarized in a joint report which other schools will also find instructive.

Licences and applications

A licence is necessary to be allowed to start or extend an independent school. The Swedish Schools Inspectorate makes decisions about these licences and also follows up that the school starts in accordance with the licence conditions. The Swedish Schools Inspectorate also receives applications from schools, independent as well as municipal, that want to conduct some of their lessons in English, operate compulsory school education without applying the timetable or implement proficiency testing from year 4.