What and how we inspect Archives - Page 4 of 6 - Estyn

Inspection Guidance Type: What and how we inspect

Inspection Guidance Type: What and how we inspect

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This supplementary guidance is aimed at supporting inspectors to:

  • evaluate the extent to which leaders and managers plan strategically purposeful opportunities for pupils to develop their Welsh language skills in formal and informal situations and implement these plans effectively
  • evaluate the extent and quality of the school’s provision for the development of Welsh language communication skills in formal teaching activities and in informal situations
  • evaluate how well the school teaches pupils about the advantages of learning Welsh and being bilingual
  • where appropriate, inspectors should consider how well the proportion of teaching in Welsh matches the school’s official language categorisation
  • evaluate pupils’ ability to speak and respond to spoken Welsh compared with pupils in schools in similar contexts and their starting points
  • evaluate the progress pupils make in developing their communication skills in Welsh for their learning across the curriculum and in more informal contexts.

When inspecting literacy skills (Welsh) in Welsh-medium, bilingual and English-medium schools and PRUs, you should also refer to the supplementary guidance: Supplementary guidance for the inspection of Welsh and English literacy in schools and PRUs which can also be found on Estyn’s website

The revised Inspection Framework (September, 2021) sets a requirement for inspectors to evaluate and comment on the Welsh language in:

5.1 (Quality and effectiveness of leaders and managers, including the governing body),
3.1 (The breadth, balance and appropriateness of the curriculum), and in
1.1 (Standards and progress in learning and skills [listening and reading, speaking and writing]).

The report has been presented in this way as 5.1 incorporates the strategic vision of leaders for Welsh in their settings in addition to the self-evaluation processes, priorities and professional learning in order to support the teaching (3.1) and learning (1.1). In addition, inspectors are free to report on aspects related to Welsh that are linked to inspection area 2 (Wellbeing and attitudes to learning) and inspection area 4 (Care, support and guidance).

Inspection Guidance Type: What and how we inspect

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This guidance sets out the way the inspectorate will conduct inspections of independent specialist colleges from September 2017. It sets out the inspection arrangements for independent specialist colleges and offers guidance to inspectors on making inspection judgements.

Where the inspection identifies important concerns in relation to standards, quality of education and training or leadership and management, the inspectorate may arrange to conduct an early monitoring visit to support improvement.

Independent specialist colleges can use this guidance to see how inspections work and to help them in carrying out their own self-assessment and improvement processes.

Inspection Guidance Type: What and how we inspect

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This guidance sets out the way the inspectorate will conduct inspections of PRUs from September 2017. It sets out the inspection arrangements for PRUs and offers guidance to inspectors on making inspection judgements.

Where the inspection identifies important concerns in relation to standards, quality of education and training or leadership and management, the inspectorate will arrange to conduct follow-up activity in the PRU to support improvement. Guidance on the different types of follow-up activity is available on Estyn’s website.

PRUs can use this guidance to see how inspections work and to help them in strengthening their own self-evaluation and improvement processes.

Inspection Guidance Type: What and how we inspect

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This guidance sets out the way the inspectorate will conduct inspections of all-age schools from September 2017. It sets out the inspection arrangements for all-age schools and offers guidance to inspectors on making inspection judgements.

Where the inspection identifies important concerns in relation to standards, quality of education and training or leadership and management, the inspectorate will arrange to conduct follow-up activity in the school to support improvement. Guidance on the different types of follow-up activity is available on Estyn’s website.

All-age schools can use this guidance to see how inspections work and to help them in strengthening their own self-evaluation and improvement processes.

Inspection Guidance Type: What and how we inspect

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This guidance sets out the way the inspectorate will conduct inspections of secondary schools from September 2017. It sets out the inspection arrangements for secondary schools and offers guidance to inspectors on making inspection judgements.

Where the inspection identifies important concerns in relation to standards, quality of education and training or leadership and management, the inspectorate will arrange to conduct follow-up activity in the school to support improvement. Guidance on the different types of follow-up activity is available on Estyn’s website.

Secondary schools can use this guidance to see how inspections work and to help them in strengthening their own self-evaluation and improvement processes.

Inspection Guidance Type: What and how we inspect

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This guidance sets out the way the inspectorate will conduct inspections of primary schools from September 2017. It sets out the inspection arrangements for primary schools and offers guidance to inspectors on making inspection judgements.

Where the inspection identifies important concerns in relation to standards, quality of education and training or leadership and management, the inspectorate will arrange to conduct follow-up activity in the school to support improvement. Guidance on the different types of follow-up activity is available on Estyn’s website.

Primary schools can use this guidance to see how inspections work and to help them in strengthening their own self-evaluation and improvement processes.

Inspection Guidance Type: What and how we inspect

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This guidance sets out the way the inspectorate will conduct inspections of independent schools from September 2017. It sets out the inspection arrangements for independent schools and offers guidance to inspectors on making inspection judgements.

Where the inspection identifies important concerns in relation to standards, quality of education and training or leadership and management, the inspectorate will arrange to conduct follow-up activity in the school to support improvement. Guidance on the different types of follow-up activity is available on Estyn’s website.

Independent schools can use this guidance to see how inspections work and to help them in strengthening their own self-evaluation and improvement processes.

Inspection Guidance Type: What and how we inspect

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This guidance sets out the way the inspectorate will conduct inspections of Welsh for Adults providers from September 2019. It sets out the inspection arrangements for providers and offers guidance to inspectors on making inspection judgements.

Welsh for Adults providers can use this guidance to see how inspections work and to help them in carrying out their own self-evaluation.

Inspection Guidance Type: What and how we inspect

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This guidance sets out the way that CIW and Estyn will inspect care and education in regulated non-school settings eligible for funding for part-time education. These joint inspections will evaluate the care provided for all children up to the age of twelve and the education of three and four-year-old children that do not receive education in a maintained setting.

The purpose of joint inspection is to:

  • provide an evaluation of quality to the users of services and other stakeholders through published reports
  • promote improvement in care and education
  • inform the development of national policy by the Welsh Government
  • test whether the service is still fit to be registered
  • provide sufficient assurance that the service is safe and compliant

Inspection Guidance Type: What and how we inspect

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This guidance sets out the way the inspectorate will conduct inspections of maintained special schools from September 2017. It sets out the inspection arrangements for maintained special schools and offers guidance to inspectors on making inspection judgements.

Where the inspection identifies important concerns in relation to standards, quality of education and training or leadership and management, the inspectorate will arrange to conduct follow-up activity in the school to support improvement. Guidance on the different types of follow-up activity is available on Estyn’s website.

Maintained special schools can use this guidance to see how inspections work and to help them in strengthening their own self-evaluation and improvement processes.