FAQs for Nominees during an Estyn Inspection
The nominee acts as the school’s representative on the inspection team throughout the inspection week. This involves:
- Providing additional information and context about the school.
- Offering clarification on areas discussed by the inspection team.
- Ensuring the school’s voice is heard during the inspection process.
The role is usually undertaken by the headteacher. However, it can also be assigned to another senior leader if agreed by the school.
The nominee should:
- Attend team meetings with the inspection team.
- Provide accurate and honest information about the school.
- Act as a liaison between the inspection team and the school.
- Respond promptly to requests for additional documentation or clarification.
While the nominee provides valuable context and clarification, the inspection team’s judgements are based on evidence gathered throughout the inspection process. The nominee’s input helps ensure that the team has a full understanding of the school’s context.
To prepare effectively, the nominee should:
- Familiarise themselves with Estyn’s inspection framework and guidance.
- Ensure all relevant documents and data are easily accessible.
- Be ready to discuss the school’s strengths, areas for development, and improvement strategies.
- Brief the staff and governors on their role and the inspection process.
- Communicate any relevant issues to the lead inspector.
To be effective in their role, the nominee should:
- Listen carefully to what is said in the team meetings
- Make notes to inform future improvement work (many issues are discussed in team meetings but not everything will appear in the final report, though the feedback and details may well be helpful to the school)
- Ask questions if anything is unclear
- Not challenge everything that is said, but say if they think something is inaccurate, explaining why
- Make a note of any information that is asked for or questions that they cannot answer and, having consulted with colleagues, provide the information/answers as soon as possible
- Refer to the inspection guidance throughout the process
- Communicate any issues to the team, or to the lead inspector privately, as soon as possible
- Keep all that is discussed in team meetings confidential
- At the end of each day there will be an opportunity for the nominee/headteacher to meet briefly with the lead inspector. Any issues regarding the conduct of the team or the running of the inspection should be communicated in this meeting.
Yes, the nominee may be invited to observe lessons with the inspection team. This allows the nominee to understand the team’s observations and provide additional context if required.
The lead inspector will outline the nominee’s role and provide guidance at the start of the inspection. All members of the inspection team will be available to support the nominee and will be able to assist with questions. If the nominee is concerned about something they should raise it as quickly as possible with the lead inspector.
The nominee role can be time-consuming, and the nominee is usually involved in several meetings in addition to the team meetings. Therefore, it could be difficult for the nominee to undertake all their usual activities. However, there is no expectation that the nominee stays in the team base room when the team is not there.
The nominee has an opportunity to discuss any concerns during the inspection process. If disagreements arise, these should be raised promptly with the lead inspector so they can be addressed before the inspection concludes.
If necessary, the nominee can delegate certain tasks to other staff members, such as gathering information. However, they will not be able to delegate attendance at team meetings.
The nominee should inform the lead inspector of any complaints. The lead inspector will aim to address any issues as soon as possible.
The nominee will:
- Be involved in the school’s factual accuracy check of the draft inspection report.
- Support the school in addressing any recommendations from the final report.