Events Frequently Asked Questions

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What is a Peer / Additional / Lay inspector?

Check our Inspector Roles page for details.

How do I apply to become a Peer Inspector?

We run recruitment campaigns for peer inspectors periodically; the frequency depends on the sector. When recruitment opens, we’ll post information on our Current vacancies page and our social media accounts. You can also register for updates on our website – make sure you select the ‘Jobs and Training’ option.

Primary and Secondary – you must:

  • be paid on the senior leadership pay spine;
  • be in a permanent position;
  • have at least two years’ leadership experience, and
  • have at least five years’ teaching experience.

Independent, Independent Special, Special, PRU – you must:

  • have at least two years’ experience in a senior leadership role, (Headteacher, Deputy Headteacher, Assistant Headteacher, Teacher in Charge of a PRU)
  • have at least 5 years’ teaching experience

Post-16 – you must:

  • be currently working at a post-16 provider (adult learning in the community, FE, learning in the justice sector and work-based learning)
  • have at least five years’ experience in a teaching/assessment or closely related role; experience in a leadership role is desirable but not essential

Initial Teacher Education – you must:

  • be a leader in ITE in a university provider, working at programme leader level or above; or
  • be a senior leader / senior mentor in a lead school providing ITE in partnership with a university
  • be employed in a permanent position
  • have at least two years’ leadership experience
  • have at least five years’ teaching experience 

We’ll also ask your employer to support your application. The training includes a pre-training reading list, face to face assessments and a probationary inspection.

How do I apply to become an Additional Inspector?

We run recruitment campaigns for Additional inspectors periodically for some sectors. In most cases you need to already be a peer inspector before you can become an additional inspector. If additional inspector recruitment
opens, we’ll post information on our Current vacancies page and our social media accounts.

You can also register for updates on our website – make sure you select the ‘Jobs and Training’ option.

How do I apply to become a Lay Inspector?

Lay Inspectors are members of the public that have never been employed in the management or the provision of education within a school.

We run recruitment campaigns for peer inspectors periodically, depending on the sector. When recruitment opens, we’ll post information on our Current vacancies page and our social media accounts. You can also register for updates on our website – make sure you select the ‘Jobs and Training’ option.

I previously applied for PI training, but wasn’t successful. Can I apply again?

Yes – we’re happy to consider another application if you feel you meet the criteria.

I work in a local authority; can I be a peer inspector for schools?

No – Peer Inspectors should be working in an education or training provider within the sector they will be inspecting.

I’m retiring soon; can I still train as a PI?

No – PIs need to be able to commit to inspecting after they have trained, and must currently be working in an education or training provider in the sector that they’re inspecting.

There are already two peer inspectors in my school; can I apply too?

Yes, however our aim is to have as many schools with a peer inspector as possible, so we may take this into consideration when sifting applications.

Why haven’t I received an invitation to update training?

Firstly, make sure your Inspector Profile is up-to-date and that your email addresses are correct. When we send invites to training, we use your main email address to identify you; this is the first email address displayed on your Inspector Profile. You won’t be able to register for training with a different email address. If you need help updating your Inspector Profile, contact Estyn’s Planning and Deployment Team at 

If your Inspector Profile is up-to-date, check your spam or junk folder – sometime our emails get caught in security filters.

If your DBS certificate was issued more than three years ago then unfortunately, you will not be eligible to attend our update training. Please contact  when you receive your new certificate. 

Do I have to attend Annual update training?

Yes. We advise all inspectors to attend update training every year; we’re delivering important messages about inspection and you’ll get the chance to meet colleagues. The only people who don’t need to attend are RgNIs and RgIs if they have already attended their most recent termly update session.

I’m on inspection that week, so I can’t go to update training.

We provide update training across more than one date and location, so we’d advise you to choose the most convenient date for you. We ask inspectors to attend update training at least once every two years, in order to be eligible to be deployed, although we recommend you attend every year.

I’ve been invited to the training for more than one sector – do I have to go to them all?

No – just book onto the training for the sector you inspect most often. However, if you inspect local authority specialist resource base units, you will also need to attend specific update training for that provision.

When can I claim expenses for attending an event? 

Update training: We don’t reimburse expenses for this type of event. 

Initial training: We will reimburse your travel costs to attend the training. If you live more than 40 miles away from the training venue and the training lasts for more than one day, we will arrange accommodation (B&B) for you. We’ll also reimburse the costs of your dinner on the nights you have accommodation. 

Stakeholder events: We don’t reimburse expenses for this type of event. 

My event registration link doesn’t work. What can I do?

You need to use your main email address to register for events or training. This is the email address listed first on your Inspector Profile. If you don’t have an Inspector Profile yet, we use the email address we sent your invite to as your main contact address.

We your main email address to identify you on our events website and you won’t be able to register with a different email address.

If they’re using a school or work network to view the page, sometimes security settings prevent access to our system. Please try again at home or on your phone’s mobile network (our system is mobile responsive).

If you’re using your password setting link, make sure you’re accessing it within 15 minutes. These links are only live temporarily. If 15 minutes have passed, please request another link through the event website.

I need to change my booking

You can go back to the event website using the invitation link – click on the menu option to amend your booking. You’ll be able to see any available locations and dates on the registration page. If you can’t see the date or location you want, this is because it’s fully booked.

I can’t see my chosen training date on the registration page

If you can’t see a particular date or location on the booking drop down menu then that location is fully booked. We don’t operate a reserve list, so we recommend checking the page regularly to see if a place has become available. 

I can’t attend the event I’ve been invited to

If you haven’t already registered, go to the registration link and click the ‘decline’ link on the menu bar. If you’ve already registered, please drop us an email to cancel your booking.

I haven’t been sent the agenda or materials for an event I’m attending

We aim to send these out to delegates as soon as possible. If there is less than a week to go until the event you’re attending and you haven’t received anything, please check the following:

·    Have you got an email confirming your registration? If not, please go back to the event website and book your place.

·    Does your registration confirmation email include the agenda and materials?

·    Is the agenda and materials email in your junk or spam folder?

Can you register for me?

Unless it’s in exceptional circumstances, we don’t register on a delegate’s behalf – this is because you need to provide personal information as part of the registration process, for example any dietary or accessibility requirements you have.

Will Estyn pay for my DBS?

No – delegates must pay for their own DBS certificate.

I already have a DBS; why do I need another one?

In line with our DBS policy, we consider a current DBS to be less than three years old. We’re unable to accept a DBS that is older than this, even if your local authority/employer still considers it to be valid.

I’ve been invited to a stakeholder forum but I can’t attend. Can I send a colleague in my place?

If we’ve sent you an invite to represent your organisation at an event, then please feel free to pass the invite to a colleague if you can’t attend. However, if you’ve been invited to a training event, you won’t be able to pass the invite on to someone else.

Is there a dress code to attend initial or update training? 

Please wear what you would normally wear to your school or PRU.