What and how we inspect Archives - Page 2 of 6 - Estyn

Inspection Guidance Type: What and how we inspect

Inspection Guidance Type: What and how we inspect

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This handbook sets out our approaches to inspecting Welsh language immersion arrangements in local authorities. It explains how we inspect. The guidance is essential reading for reporting inspectors and all other members of the inspection team. It may also be useful for providers to support their understanding of the inspection mind-set and methodologies.

The guidance should be read alongside ‘What we inspect’, which outlines the inspection framework. Local authorities and Welsh language immersion providers can use this guidance to see how inspections work.

Where the inspection identifies practice worth sharing, inspectors will include a spotlight of this practice as part of the inspection report. Where the inspection identifies important concerns in relation to standards, quality of education and training or leadership and management, we will arrange follow-up activity to support improvement. Guidance on follow-up activity is available on p13 of this handbook.

Inspection Guidance Type: What and how we inspect

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This handbook sets out what inspectors need to consider when evaluating the five inspection areas in youth work services. It explains ‘What we inspect’. It should be read in conjunction with the document ‘How we inspect’.

The guidance is essential reading for reporting inspectors and all other members of the inspection team, including the nominee. It may also be useful for providers to support their understanding of the inspection guidance. There is a separate handbook that explains the inspection process and methodology, ‘How we inspect’.

The three inspection areas are set out below.

Inspection areas
1 – How does youth work help young people achieve their potential?
1.1 Educative
1.2 Expressive
1.3 Participative
1.4 Inclusive
1.5 Empowering

2 – What young people can expect from youth work provision
2.1 The quality of youth work
2.2 The Universal Offer (youth work provision for all young people)
2.3 Support for vulnerable young people

3 – Leading and improving
3.1 Quality and effectiveness of leaders and managers
3.2 Self-evaluation processes and improvement planning
3.3 Professional learning
3.4 Safeguarding

Inspection Guidance Type: What and how we inspect

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This handbook sets out our approach to inspecting youth work. It explains how we inspect. The guidance is essential reading for reporting inspectors and all other members of the inspection team. It may also be useful for providers to support their understanding of the inspection mind-set and methodologies.

The guidance should be read alongside ‘What we inspect’ guidance for youth work, which outlines the inspection framework. Providers can use this guidance to see how inspections work and to help them inform their own self-assessment and improvement processes.

Where the inspection identifies practice that other providers might find useful, inspectors will invite the provider to write a case study that we will publish on our website. Where the inspection identifies important concerns in relation to outcomes, quality of provision and training or leadership and management, we will arrange follow-up activity to support improvement.

Inspection Guidance Type: What and how we inspect

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This handbook sets out our approach to inspecting Welsh for Adults providers from 2024. It explains how we inspect. The guidance is essential reading for reporting inspectors and all other members of the inspection team. It may also be useful for providers to support their understanding of inspection arrangements, the inspection mind-set and methodologies.

The guidance should be read alongside ‘What we inspect’ guidance for Welsh for Adults providers, which outlines the inspection framework for full inspections. Providers can use this guidance to see how full inspections work and to help them in strengthening their own self-assessment and improvement processes. For themed inspections, we will write to providers annually outlining the focus for the year and our approach.

Where the inspection identifies practice worth sharing, inspectors will include a spotlight on this practice as part of the inspection report. We will showcase a range of these spotlights and, in some cases, more in-depth case studies on our website. Recommendations should give the provider a clear and specific indication of the areas for improvement that it will need to address. The progress against recommendations will be monitored in the subsequent inspection of the National Centre for Learning Welsh. Inspectors may also consider progress against recommendations within periodic evaluations of providers’ work.

    Inspection Guidance Type: What and how we inspect

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    This handbook sets out what inspectors need to consider when evaluating the three inspection areas in a full inspection of Welsh for Adults (Learn Welsh) providers. It explains ‘What we inspect’. The guidance is essential reading for reporting inspectors and all other members of the inspection team, including the nominee. It may also be useful for providers to support their understanding of the inspection guidance. There is a separate handbook that explains the inspection process and methodology, ‘How we inspect’.

    The three inspection areas are set out below:
    IA1: Teaching and learning
    IA2: Well-being, care, support and guidance
    IA3: Leading and improving

    Inspection Guidance Type: What and how we inspect

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    This handbook sets out what inspectors need to consider when evaluating the three inspection areas for Welsh language immersion arrangements in local authorities. It explains ‘What we inspect’. The guidance is essential reading for reporting inspectors and all other members of the inspection team, including the nominee. It may also be useful for providers to support their understanding of the inspection guidance. There is a separate handbook that explains the inspection process and methodology, ‘How we inspect’.

    The three inspection areas are set out below:
    IA1: Teaching and learning
    IA2: Well-being, care, support and guidance
    IA3: Leading and improving

    Inspection Guidance Type: What and how we inspect

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    This handbook sets out our approaches to inspecting independent schools. It explains what and how we inspect. The guidance is essential reading for reporting inspectors and all other members of the inspection team. It may also be useful for providers to support their understanding of the inspection mind-set and methodologies.

    Inspection Guidance Type: What and how we inspect

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    This handbook sets out our approaches to inspecting maintained schools (primary, secondary, all-age and special schools), and pupil referral units. It explains how we inspect. The guidance is essential reading for reporting inspectors and all other members of the inspection team. It may also be useful for providers to support their understanding of the inspection mind-set and methodologies.

    The guidance should be read alongside ‘What we inspect‘ which outlines the inspection framework. Schools and PRUs can use this guidance to see how inspections work.

    Where the inspection identifies practice worth sharing, inspectors will include a spotlight on this practice as part of the inspection report. Where the inspection identifies important concerns in relation to standards, quality of education and training or leadership and management, we will arrange follow-up activity to support improvement. Guidance on the different types of follow-up activity is available on p16 of this handbook.

    Inspection Guidance Type: What and how we inspect

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    This handbook sets out what inspectors need to consider when evaluating the three inspection areas in maintained schools (primary, secondary, all-age and special schools) and pupil referral units (PRUs). It explains ‘What we inspect’. The guidance is essential reading for reporting inspectors and all other members of the inspection team, including the nominee. It may also be useful for providers to support their understanding of the inspection guidance. There is a separate handbook that explains the inspection process and methodology, ‘How we inspect’.

    The three inspection areas are set out below:
    IA1: Teaching and learning
    IA2: Well-being, care, support and guidance
    IA3: Leading and improving

    Inspection Guidance Type: What and how we inspect

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    This supplementary guidance aims to support inspectors as necessary in evaluating providers’ safeguarding arrangements when carrying out inspections.


    In all aspects of our work, the needs interests and well-being of children, young people and vulnerable adults must be put above the needs and interests of all others. Hence, our Safeguarding Policy and the guidance contained within it must have priority over all other policies and advice. Through this guidance and through appropriate training we will raise the awareness and understanding of our staff to potential abuse, neglect and unsafe professional practice both within settings we inspect and within other settings we visit.


    The supplementary guidance should be used for reference during inspection alongside our Policy and Procedures for Safeguarding. This guidance does not cover how inspectors should deal with allegations in respect of safeguarding received during an inspection. Inspectors must be familiar with our Policy and Procedures for Safeguarding (see above), which covers children, young people and vulnerable adults. All inspectors should be aware of what to do in the event of receiving allegations in relation to safeguarding, and the requisite actions are outlined in this document.

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