What and how we inspect Archives - Page 2 of 7 - 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 what inspectors need to consider when evaluating the three inspection areas in Further Education (FE). 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 helpful for anyone who wants to better understand our approach to inspection. There is a separate handbook entitled ‘How we inspect’ that explains the inspection process and methodology.

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 approach to inspecting further education colleges from 2024. It explains how we inspect. The term ‘provider’ is used throughout this document to refer to the college or any group of colleges that operate under a single group structure. 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 in further education, which outlines the inspection framework. Providers can use this guidance to see how inspections work and to help them in strengthening their own self-evaluation and improvement processes.

Where the inspection identifies practice worth sharing, inspectors will include a spotlight on this practice as part of the inspections 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 presented at the end of this document.

    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 Independent Specialist Colleges (ISC). These are the providers registered as independent special post-16 institutions with Welsh Government. 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 helpful for anyone who wants to better understand our approach to inspection. There is a separate handbook entitled ‘How we inspect’ that explains the inspection process and methodology.

    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 we inspect in local government education services (LGES) inspections. It should be read in conjunction with a separate handbook ‘How we inspect’ that explains the inspection process and methodology.

    The guidance is essential reading for reporting inspectors and all other members of the inspection team, including the nominee. It will also be useful for providers to support their understanding of the inspection guidance.

    Local government education services cover statutory education functions of the local authority for children and young people up to age 25. This includes education services provided on behalf of a local authority by:

    • a school improvement service
    • a partnership between two or more local authorities
    • another organisation commissioned by the local authority (for example, a voluntary organisation or a private company)

    These other providers may be inspected separately from a local authority, and are referred to in this guidance as ‘other education services providers’. In such inspections, inspectors would only apply the sections of the framework that cover the relevant education services. Please read are ‘How we inspect’ guidance for further information.

    There are two inspection areas in LGES inspections as set out below.

    Inspection areas

    Inspection Area 1. Education services and their impact
    1.1 School improvement services
    1.2 Support for vulnerable learners
    1.3 Other support services

    Inspection area 2: Leading and improving
    2.1 Quality and effectiveness of leaders and managers
    2.2 Self-evaluation and improvement planning
    2.3 Safeguarding arrangements
    2.4 Use of resources

    Inspections of local government education services include an inspection of any of the following:

    • a local authority
    • a school improvement service
    • a partnership service between two or more local authorities for the provision of any education services
    • an education service commissioned by a local authority or a group of local authorities

    We will be carrying out stand-alone inspections of local authority youth work and Welsh immersion education from September 2024. In the case of the statutory youth service, the inspections will be carried out four weeks prior to the LGES inspections, so that the findings inform relevant aspects of the LA’s LGES inspection.

    Inspection Guidance Type: What and how we inspect

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    This guidance sets out the way we will conduct inspections of local government education services (LGES) from September 2024. Please read this in conjunction with our guidance on ‘ What We Inspect in LGES inspections.

    Local government education services cover statutory education functions of the local authority for children and young people up to age 25. This includes education services provided on behalf of a local authority by:

    • a school improvement service
    • a partnership between two or more local authorities
    • another organisation commissioned by the local authority (for example, a voluntary organisation or a private company)

    These other providers or shared services may be inspected separately from a local authority, and are referred to in this guidance as ‘other education services providers’. In such inspections, inspectors would only apply the sections of the framework that cover the relevant education services.

    The guidance sets out how we will follow-up with local authorities, commissioned services or partnership services causing significant concern. Local authorities and their partners can use this guidance to understand how we will conduct inspections. It may also help them self-evaluate and plan for improvement.

    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 our approach to inspecting independent specialist colleges. These are the providers registered as independent special post-16 institutions with Welsh Government. 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 in independent specialist colleges, which outlines the inspection framework. Providers can use this guidance to see how inspections work and to help them in strengthening their own self-evaluation and improvement processes.

    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 learning and teaching, well-being, support and guidance and leading and improving, we will arrange follow-up activity to support improvement. Guidance on follow up activity is available on p 17 of this handbook.

    Inspection Guidance Type: What and how we inspect

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    A group of young people and adults sitting around a table taking part in a creative arts and crafts activity in a community setting.

    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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    People taking part in a creative arts and crafts activity, concentrating on decorating small circular items at a table covered with craft materials and pens.

    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.

    There is further information about inspections on our website www.estyn.gov.wales

    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.