How and What We Inspect Guidance for Maintained Schools and PRUs

Maintained schools and PRUs handbooks

Our handbooks set out our approach to inspecting maintained schools (primary, secondary, all-age and special schools), and pupil referral units. This includes our inspection mindset and methodology, and introduces our new interim visits.  

Please note that our current guidance will remain in place until the end of the academic year.

What we inspect – schools and PRUs

Find out more about how our inspection arrangements are changing from September 2024. Our video outlines how the changes to inspection for maintained schools and Pupil Referral Units (PRUs).