Supporting improvement through interim visits
A blog by Jon Wright HMI
At Estyn, we know that meaningful improvement in education happens through reflection, collaboration and ongoing professional dialogue. That’s why, since September 2024, we’ve introduced interim visits for primary, secondary and all-age schools, as well as pupil referral units (PRUs) across Wales.
Interim visits are focused visits that take place between core inspections. While they are not inspections and do not result in recommendations, they provide an important opportunity for us to engage with schools more regularly and to better understand the experiences of leaders, practitioners and learners.
Most importantly, interim visits are designed to support schools in their own self-evaluation and improvement journey.
During a visit, HMIs spend time talking with school leaders, staff and learners about specific themes or areas of development; usually the recommendations from the last core inspection. These conversations help schools reflect on their practice, celebrate what is working well and consider next steps for improvement. The process is collaborative, professional and improvement-focused.
Over the past year, we have heard positive feedback from schools about the value of these visits. Leaders have spoken about the benefits of having dedicated time for professional discussion and reflection, as well as the opportunity to explore their improvement priorities in a supportive environment.
To help raise awareness and improve understanding of interim visits, we are launching a new campaign featuring honest reflections from providers. Through a series of short videos, headteachers and teachers share their experiences of the interim visit process and discuss how the visits supported professional learning and school improvement within their settings.
We hope these stories will help provide a clearer picture of what interim visits involve and reinforce the supportive and collaborative nature of the process.
You can explore the videos and find further information and resources on our interim visits webpage