COBIS Membership Categories
Responding to the diversity of the sector and in recognition of the qualities each individual COBIS school contributes to our association, the COBIS membership framework takes account of the opportunity - as strongly expressed by our members and committee - to welcome more schools into membership while maintaining quality.
- COBIS Executive Member
‘Executive Members’ meet the UK government standards for British Schools Overseas (BSO) - through a successful inspection by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI). This recognises the benefits of the relationship between COBIS and the ISI, which include peer inspection, access to free training, preferential rates and ISC (Independent Schools Council/UK) recognition
- COBIS Member
‘Members’ meet the UK government standards for British Schools Overseas (BSO) - through a successful inspection by a government approved inspectorate
- COBIS Associate Member
‘Associate Members’ are schools of good quality which have either successfully completed inspection of school development and improvement with a body recognised by COBIS (currently the CIS),
or have satisfied us of their suitability and committed to a BSO inspection within three years.
[COBIS appreciates that a BSO inspection might not be appropriate for every school. In this case ‘Associate Members’ who do not complete a BSO inspection within three years will at the discretion of the COBIS Executive Committee be expected to submit a selection of revised documents to retain COBIS ‘Associate Membership’. At the very least these documents will include. a current child protection policy, school development plan, safer recruitment policy and articles of association for the governing body. Where CIS accreditation is held, confirmation will also be required after three years for Associate membership renewal.]
- COBIS Candidate School
'Candidate Schools' (aspiring ‘Associate Member’) are those whose plans to open meet our standards. They must satisfy COBIS criteria for planning a new school. This status is available for 12 months before to 24 months after opening. Thereafter an application is required to an alternative membership level
