Frequently Asked Questions – post-16 sector
If you are a lecturer, teacher, trainer, assessor or middle leader…
You do not need to prepare anything extra before the inspection – plan as normal for your classes/sessions/workshops during the inspection activity.
If you are a senior leader or the nominee for the inspection….
The reporting inspector will arrange a virtual meeting with you in the time leading up to the inspection. This is an opportunity to clarify arrangements, raise any concerns and hopefully settle any nerves. Typically, in the lead up to inspection, we would ask senior leaders/nominees to:
Provide evidence of planning linked to self-evaluation and quality improvement. We do not specify a particular format or approach to this and would expect this to align with organisational quality cycles. Provide information and data to support the inspection. Where possible we will work with existing formats although we may request some adjustments and/or additional information where essential. For example, in the case of timetables we may ask for additional information such as funding streams or accreditation details. Add the requested supporting information to the Virtual Inspection Room (VIR). We would not expect any documentation which is additional to what is already in place. Neither is there a requirement for uniformity of format. There is a small amount of common documentation that the inspection will require, this is detailed below and is on the inspection contact form that is shared with the provider when they are notified of an inspection.
We understand that Estyn inspections can feel challenging, but they are a collaborative process to help education and training providers to improve. Plan as normal for your classes/sessions/workshops during the inspection activity. Our inspectors will observe across a sample of sessions although we do not carry out exhaustive observations and cannot guarantee that we will cover every subject or learning area. Observations will include both in-person and online sessions as appropriate. We may also visit you and your learners by conducting a learning walk across a campus or learning area. As we sample teaching and learning activity, you may find that you are not observed or visited by an inspector on a learning walk. Conversely, you may be visited more than once, for example by an inspector on a couple of learning walks. (See our FAQ below on the difference between a lesson observation and a learning walk)
Our lesson observations focus primarily on the quality of learning and how well learners respond to the learning experiences inspectors have observed. Our inspectors may arrive to observe a session after it has started, or leave a session before its scheduled end. However, they will always make their evaluations on what they have observed and the evidence they have seen, including speaking with learners. We will always take into account that teaching and learning will be happening before or after we are there.
A one-off technical fault would not affect the overall evaluation of teaching and learning at a provider. Inspectors consider different contexts and challenges facing each provider and tailor their approach appropriately. They triangulate evidence to come to robust conclusions on the quality of teaching and learning across a provider, considering a wide range of different evidence, including speaking to learners.
Inspectors look at what works well and what are the areas that require improvement, using the broad areas of the inspection framework – ‘What we inspect’ for each core inspection. We want to see a normal week of activity to see what the learner experience is like day to day. This may look different according to the time of year when the inspection takes place. We do not have preferred approaches for delivering teaching, training or assessment, but consider whether the approaches used support learners to improve and make good progress in learning
We don’t expect everything to run perfectly during an inspection, and don’t want providers to over-prepare or do things differently to normal during an inspection week. If this is the case. learners will often tell us.
In a session observation an inspector would usually spend between 45-60 minutes observing the session. At some point during a session observation, inspectors will usually want to speak with learners. This may mean inspectors talking with individual learners as they undertake their work or, on occasion, meeting with the group without the tutor/assessor present. Our inspectors will engage in a professional dialogue with the tutor/assessor at the end of an observed session. This is a short discussion that does not entail feedback or judgements.
A learning walk is where inspectors observe activity for a shorter period, usually 15-20 minutes. Inspectors may carry out learning walks in taught sessions, workshops, communal areas, breakout spaces, etc. to look at a specific aspect of provision. We do not engage in professional dialogue with staff following a learning walk but will have an opportunity to speak to staff delivering these sessions, including any support staff who may be present.
Learning walks give inspectors the opportunity to see a wide range of teaching and learning activities often in a specific learning area. For example, they may visit workshops where several groups of learners are working at different levels and undertaking a range of tasks. In these situations, inspectors can observe learners working, review the quality of their work, review written work that may be available and speak to learners about the tasks they are undertaking.
An Estyn inspection is not about paperwork, and we do not want any documents produced specifically for the inspection. Inspectors will look at the impact of teaching, training and assessment activities on learning. We focus on open and honest discussion and professional dialogue. This means seeing your provider as it is, including looking at appropriate evidence of planning for teaching, training and learning and taking learner needs into account on an individual and group basis. We do not specify how plans should be set out or the level of detail. Neither would we expect to see a detailed lesson plan for every session, schemes of work or class profiles unless this is what teaching/delivery staff would ordinarily produce. We do not expect documents to be in a particular format or to be in a consistent format across the provider.
Our What we inspect guidance sets out what inspectors will consider when evaluating the three inspection areas (IAs) in Further Education, Adult Learning in the Community, and Independent Specialist Colleges:
Within the guidance you will find more detail behind each of the inspection areas, detailing the different aspects inspectors will consider in the relation to the impact they have on learners’ learning and wellbeing.
The inspection areas for each sector are shown below:
Further education-
IA1 – Teaching and learning
IA2 – Wellbeing, care, support and guidance
IA3 – Leading and improving
Work-based learning-
IA1 – Learning
IA2 – Wellbeing, support and guidance
IA3 – Teaching, training, assessment and learning experiences
IA4 – Leadership & management
Yes, speaking with learners is one of the richest sources of evidence for inspectors and they will take opportunities to speak with learners throughout the inspection. These conversations may take place during sessions, workshops, and learning walks or in communal areas during learner breaks throughout the day. We may also arrange learner focus groups, for example with learner representatives.
Dialogue with staff is very important part of the inspection. Whilst inspectors will not speak with all staff at a provider during inspection, they will take opportunities to speak with as many staff as possible throughout the inspection. This may include during observations, learning walks and meetings.
In a session observation an inspector would usually spend between 45-60 minutes observing a session and engaging with professional dialogue with the teacher, trainer and/or assessor.
A learning walk is where inspectors observe activity for a shorter period, usually 15-20 minutes. Inspectors may carry out learning walks in taught sessions, workshops, communal areas, breakout spaces, etc. to look at a specific aspect of provision. Inspectors do not usually engage in professional dialogue following a learning walk, but may have an opportunity to speak briefly to learners and staff where appropriate.
The level of Welsh used should be appropriate for each session, taking learner needs into account on an individual and group basis and should be no different to what you would use in any other session. We do not expect sessions or assessments to be changed in any way for the purpose of the inspection. Inspectors will also take into account the capacity of the teacher/tutor to deliver in Welsh or bilingually. We also do not expect all display materials to be bilingual.
We don’t expect policies to be updated or revised as part of inspection preparation. We would not expect managers to request staff complete any professional learning in the pre-inspection period unless it was already scheduled.
Engaging with sub-contractors and delivery partners is a key part of our apprenticeship provider inspections. Our inspection team will visit every sub-contractor to speak with key leaders and undertake observations of teaching, training and assessment with staff and learners. Representatives from sub-contractors may also be asked by the lead provider to attend and contribute to inspection area meetings.
As part of the pre inspection planning process, the reporting inspector will usually discuss a broad inspection timetable with the senior leader and nominee, this will include an outline schedule of inspection area meetings with staff members, learners and other key stakeholders. Observations and learning walks are not pre-agreed with the provider, inspectors decide who and when they will observe and they can take place at any point throughout the inspection process. Once inspectors have visited a sufficient sample of learning activities they will make sure they tell the provider that they have completed their programme of learning walks and lesson observations.
Providers need to upload sufficient evidence for each inspection area to show what they are doing in relation to our inspection guidance. When uploading documentation, it is not about how many documents can be uploaded, but about being selective and making sure inspectors can get a clear understanding of your work in each inspection area. Be mindful of too little evidence which will not show the work you are doing clearly enough and may lead to further meetings to clarify points.
No inspectors do not give judgements; they engage in professional dialogue with the member of staff at the end of the session. In the overall report, we will write in evaluative language about the quality of teaching, training and assessment and its impact but we no longer award summative judgements or ‘grades’ as part of our report.
Inspectors have a range of follow-up activities available.
These activities are carefully tailored to the provider and the key recommendations that were identified during the inspection. These activities monitor the progress made by the provider’s actions in addressing the recommendations.
If you have already been told you are having an inspection or an inspection is happening currently then it is best to find out who your provider’s ‘nominee’ is. This will be one of your senior leaders who will liaise with the inspection team and be part of all the team’s discussions. If you haven’t got a current inspection then please email your question to our enquiries team –