What we inspect – Initial Teacher Education – September 2022

This handbook sets out what inspectors need to consider when evaluating the five inspection areas in Initial Teacher Education (ITE) from September 2022. 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 framework. There is a separate handbook that explains the inspection process and methodology, ‘how we inspect’.

The five inspection areas are set out below

Inspection Areas

IA1 Learning

• 1.1 Standards and progress overall

IA2 Well-being and attitudes to learning

• 2.1 Well-being
• 2.2 Attitudes to learning

IA3 Teaching and learning experiences

• 3.1 The breadth, balance and appropriateness of the curriculum
• 3.2 Quality of teaching and mentoring

IA4 Care, support and guidance

• 4.1 Personal and professional development, and the provision of learning support
• 4.2 Safeguarding

IA5 Leadership and management

• 5.1 Quality and effectiveness of leaders and managers
• 5.2 Self-evaluation processes and improvement planning
• 5.3 Professional learning