Estyn Sector Overviews

Overview of the ALC sector

The adult learning in the community (ALC) sector provides lifelong learning opportunities to adults. Provision is delivered by non-statutory partnerships. Medr funds the providers who contribute to ALC partnerships to deliver courses:

• for developing literacy, numeracy, digital skills
• in English for speakers of other languages (ESOL)
• for older learners promoting social engagement
• that develop employability skills
• and other courses that help engage adults in learning

There are thirteen ALC partnerships, plus Adult Learning Wales, the designated further education institution for adult learning in the community. Membership of each partnership differs from area to area, but most include provision offered by the local authority, further education colleges, including Adult Learning Wales, and voluntary or community organisations.

Adult learning in the community normally takes place at venues such as libraries, community learning centres or schools.

Self-evaluation practice in the ALC sector

Most partnerships use the Estyn inspection framework to structure their self-evaluation report, which is usually presented as a word-processed document or spreadsheet. The majority of partnerships’ self-evaluation reports refer directly to the underpinning evidence that contributes to the report, often with hyperlinks to the evidence. A few also make good use of the recently developed ACL partnership effectiveness tool (Learning and Work Institute, 2024). A few local-authority led partnerships use their local authority self-evaluation and improvement planning templates which may emphasise slightly different aspects of the provider’s work than using the Estyn inspection framework

A particular challenge for this sector is producing a coherent self-evaluation and quality improvement approach that involves and is relevant to the whole partnership.  Over recent years, the sector has responded well to Estyn inspection findings which identify partnership working, provision planning, methods for communicating the partnership’s provision to potential learners and planning and evaluating learners’ progress as areas for improvement.

Strengths in ALC sector self-evaluation and quality improvement

• Self-evaluation processes draw on a wide range of evidence (lesson observations, learner surveys and forums, analysis of performance data)
• Self-evaluation processes are usually cyclical and produce an annual self-evaluation report and quality improvement plan
• There is usually a good link between improvement planning objectives and the areas for improvement identified in the self-evaluation report
• The sector has co-constructed a useful partnership effectiveness tool, which helps focus partnerships on the key issues for the sector 
• There is a useful forum for partnerships to highlight sector-wide concerns and share good practice. There is a useful culture of professional collaboration and support within the sector
• On the whole, partnership self-evaluation reports are honest about their areas for improvement

Areas for improvement in ALC sector self-evaluation and quality improvement

• Self-evaluation reports often focus on actions and processes taken by providers and don’t pay enough attention to their impact on learners
• Partnership level self-evaluation and reports and quality improvement plans tend to focus on the main provider and don’t take sufficient account of other providers in the partnership
• Data analysis has not focussed enough on the ways learners move into, within and beyond the partnership’s provision
• Quality improvement plans have failed to have the long-term impact expected because of changes to personnel or lack of ownership of actions

Overview of the further education sector

There are currently 12 further education (FE) colleges in Wales. Many have multiple sites across a wide geographical area, spanning several local authority areas. Most deliver a wide range of vocational and general education and training programmes. A few colleges also work in partnership with local school sixth forms.

A majority of FE colleges operate under a group structure, maintaining separate college identities for individual sites or regional site clusters. A few colleges operate as wholly owned subsidiaries of higher education institutions. Many also provide work-based learning apprenticeships and adult learning in the community programmes, either as a lead provider or a consortium or partnership member. Some also deliver Welsh for adults programmes and/or provision in the justice sector.

These different strands of provision are inspected by Estyn under the relevant inspection arrangements for each of these sectors. FE colleges may also offer higher education courses, either directly or through partnership arrangements with higher education institutions, these are reviewed under quality assurance arrangements conducted by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA).

Self-evaluation practice in the FE sector

FE colleges typically carry out a range of self-evaluation activities, usually including:

• Session observations
• Learning or campus walks
• Analysis of internal and external data, including benchmarking where appropriate
• Scrutiny of learner work
• Learner voice surveys and discussion forums
• Staff surveys and discussion forums 

Although Estyn does not specify either a requirement or preferred format for colleges to produce a self-evaluation report (SER), most colleges choose to use the Estyn inspection framework to structure their college SER. This is usually presented as a word-processed document, or in a few cases as a spreadsheet. A few colleges structure their self-evaluation and improvement planning process around their strategic goals, rather than the Estyn inspection framework. Quality improvement plans (QIPs) are typically presented in a spreadsheet format, this allows users to filter content as appropriate. Most colleges operate an annual quality cycle, with termly updating and monitoring.  

Most colleges also produce subsidiary SERs and QIPs, either for curriculum subject areas or for areas of responsibility as defined by their organisational structures. Many colleges have moved away from the use of summative judgements or grades within their self-evaluation processes. However, many usefully identify any underperforming learning programmes or responsibility areas and implement targeted support to help facilitate improvement. College governing bodies are also usually involved in self-evaluation processes, including moderation or approval of SERs and QIPs as well as ongoing monitoring of progress. Many colleges also network with other colleges across the sector to support each other’s self-evaluation practices.        

Strengths in FE sector self-evaluation and quality improvement

• Overall, FE colleges have well established and systematic cyclical self-evaluation processes that are effective in identifying most key of their strengths and a substantial majority of key areas for improvement. Self-evaluation reports are usually produced annually and quality improvement plans monitored regularly
• Most colleges have tiered layers of self-evaluation, with courses or programmes carrying out their own self-evaluation, and developing course or programme area improvement plans. These processes help promote ownership at delivery level.
• Most colleges have developed useful data monitoring and reporting systems. For example, in many cases staff now have access to personalised data reports or dashboards that track learner attendance, progress and outcomes in real time rather than staff having to rely on periodic reports.
• Most colleges have well established and effective learner voice arrangements in place, including learner representatives, ambassador programmes, focus groups, learner surveys, learner associations/councils and learner governors.
• Self-evaluation reports draw on a comprehensive range of quantitative and qualitative evidence and are subject to appropriate moderation and approval processes.
• Quality improvement plans are subject to regular ongoing progress monitoring and reporting procedures, with appropriate involvement of senior leaders and oversight by the governing body.

Areas for improvement in FE sector self-evaluation and quality improvement

• In a minority of cases, college leaders do not identify key areas for improvement robustly enough. Where this is the case, departmental or whole college self-evaluation reports are overly positive, and leaders miss opportunities to identify and address important areas for improvement.
• Quality improvement plans do not always identify improvement actions, milestones and targets precisely enough and as a result progress monitoring arrangements are not fully effective. 
• A majority of colleges do not focus strongly enough on higher grade attainment, especially when considering outcomes on vocational programmes. For example, vocational qualification learner outcomes data within self-evaluation reports is often focused solely or too heavily on successful completion rates rather than making full use of grade profiles.
•  Overall, arrangements for monitoring attendance and punctuality are not robust or consistent enough across the FE sector. For example, too much focus is often given to headline attendance rates that include explained absences without also considering actual in class attendance closely enough.
• Across the sector, the collection and use of robust information on learner destinations is still underdeveloped.

Overview of the apprenticeships sector

Currently, ten lead providers are contracted by Medr to deliver apprenticeships in Wales. Six of the contracts are led by further education colleges and four by independent training providers. These ten providers work with a range of other training providers using partnership and sub-contracting arrangements to deliver training for programmes at foundation apprenticeship, apprenticeship and higher apprenticeship levels. Lead providers have overall responsibility for quality assurance of any provision delivered under their contract. Nearly all providers deliver programmes across a wide geographical area and in a few cases, across Wales. Most deliver a wide range of vocational and general education and training programmes. Providers may also deliver other work-based learning programmes such as Jobs Growth Wales Plus.

Self-evaluation practice in the apprenticeships sector

Across the sector, self-evaluation and quality assurance procedures are mature and routinely used to review performance and set actions for improvement.  Across all providers they seek first-hand evidence by:

• Undertaking on-the-job session observations
• Undertaking off-the-job session observations
• Learning walks during off-the-job activities
• Learner data performance analysis, including late completers
• Data benchmarking against the sector
• Current learner tracking data
• Scrutiny of learner work
• Review of learners’ individual learning plans (ILPs)
• Learner voice surveys
• Staff surveys
• Employer feedback 

Self-evaluation can be undertaken in the way the provider feels is the most appropriate to their organisation, with Estyn not having a preferred format. However, across the sector, all providers choose to use the Estyn inspection framework to structure their self-evaluation report. This is usually a comprehensive document containing a wide range of information. All providers produce a quality improvement plan (QIPs) based on the findings of their self-evaluation report. All providers undertake self-evaluation and quality improvement activities on an annual basis, with a wide range of quality assurance activities being undertaken in a defined and time-bound quality cycle.

Although most providers do not use summative judgements or grades to inform their self-evaluation processes, they all clearly identify underperforming learning areas and other key areas for improvement. In further education college apprenticeship provision college governing bodies are usually involved in moderation of self-evaluation reports and quality improvement plans.

Strengths in apprenticeships sector self-evaluation and quality improvement

• Mature and established self-evaluation procedures
• Procedures are robust enough to identify strengths and areas for improvement
• Wide range of data used to inform reporting. Live learner performance data is now widely used, allowing staff at all levels to monitor progress against targets
• Established learner voice surveys
• Self-evaluation used a wide range of first-hand evidence including quality probes and performance indicators for most aspects
• Annual quality cycle includes a wide range of activities, including reviewing improvement actions against targets
• In the best cases, providers set challenging targets for improvement

Areas for improvement in the apprenticeships sector self-evaluation and quality improvement

•  In a very few cases, providers do not have enough focus on reducing the number of late completing learners
• In a few cases, documents are too descriptive and key areas for improvement are not clear enough.
• Although actions for improvement are identified, they do not contain clear and sharp enough actions for improvement. They often lack precise milestones and timeframes to check progress against actions
• A few providers do not have a sharp enough focus regarding how they will improve provisions, such as in health and social care

Overview of the school sixth form sector

There are currently 205 secondary or all age schools, around two-thirds of which have a sixth form. School sixth forms vary significantly in size, ranging from under 50 pupils to over 400. In many cases, particularly where numbers are relatively small, sixth form provision is supported by partnership arrangements with other schools and local colleges. A few local authorities, such as Blaenau Gwent and Merthyr Tydfil, do not have school sixth forms.  Learners in these areas usually attend the local further education college.

Secondary and all age schools are inspected under the framework set out in ‘What We Inspect’ (Estyn, 2024a). The sixth form is evaluated as part of the whole inspection process, with supplementary guidance on inspecting school sixth forms (Estyn, 2025b). In inspection reports, Estyn normally comments specifically on the sixth form in Inspection Area 1 (teaching and learning) and Inspection Area 2 (well-being, care, support and guidance).

Self-evaluation practice in the school sixth form sector

Schools typically carry out a range of self-evaluation activities, usually including:

• Lesson observations
• Learning walks (classroom visits of around 20-30 minutes)
• Scrutiny of pupils’ work
• Analysis of internal and external data
• Pupil voice discussions or surveys
• Parental surveys
• Staff surveys

Although Estyn does not require schools to submit a self-evaluation report (SER) to the inspection team, nearly all schools still have an SER, which is normally updated on a termly or annual basis. Often, the SER is framed around Estyn’s three inspection areas.

In most cases, subject departments or areas of learning and experience (AOLEs) complete their own self-evaluation report on a regular basis. However, it is rare for there to be a separate evaluation of sixth-form provision. Usually, sixth-form standards, provision and leadership are considered as part of whole-school and departmental evaluations.

Strengths in the school sixth form sector self-evaluation and quality improvement

• In general, schools have a suitable self-evaluation or quality assurance calendar that sets out the evaluative activities to be carried out at a whole-school and departmental level.
• In most cases, schools carry out an appropriate range of self-evaluation activities, including observing lessons, scrutinizing pupils’ work, analysing data and seeking pupil feedback.
• In many schools, these activities enable leaders to identify broadly the main strengths and areas for improvement.
• In a few particularly effective schools, leaders focus closely on the impact of provision on pupils’ progress and well-being, which enables them to plan for improvement precisely.
• In schools with sixth forms, self-evaluation reports often contain substantial detail regarding the data on pupil outcomes. This is often based on commercial packages such as Alps (2025) . In a minority of schools, this data is analysed appropriately to evaluate sixth form outcomes.

Areas for improvement in the school sixth form sector self-evaluation and quality improvement

• Historically, the strengthening of processes for self-evaluation and improvement planning has been the most common recommendation arising from core inspections in the secondary / all age sectors. Every year, around two-thirds to three-quarters of schools have a recommendation about this aspect of their work.
• The most common shortcomings in school’s self-evaluation processes include:
  • A lack of focus on the impact of provision on pupil outcomes
  • Too much emphasis on compliance with school policies and procedures
  • A lack of rigour, leading to an overgenerous view of effectiveness
• Insufficient triangulation of different types of first-hand evidence

• In general, schools do not make sufficient use of the consistent performance measures for post-16 learning, often relying instead on commercial value added packages.
• Schools do not use destinations data well enough to evaluate the effectiveness of their sixth form provision. They often place undue emphasis on indicators such as retention from Year 11 without considering sufficiently how well they have supported pupils to make informed decisions about their future steps.
• Middle leaders do not always have sufficient confidence or expertise to evaluate robustly the standards in the A level subjects being delivered in their departments/AOLEs.
• Arrangements to quality assure partnership arrangements are often not robust or coherent enough.

Overview of the local government education services sector

There are 22 local authorities in Wales. Local government education services (LGES) include those provided or commissioned by a single local authority as well as those provided in partnership with other local authorities. The model for providing school improvement services varies across Wales and continues to be in a period of transition due to a review of the roles and responsibilities of education partners and arrangements.

Estyn’s activity in the sector includes core inspections of the services and oversight provided by the authority, and link visits to provide more frequent contact. Inspections of local government education services include local inspection questions which focus on specific aspects of provision. For example, the recent inspection of Powys LGES included a question on how well the school transformation agenda ensured that there is appropriate provision for all learners, including those in Welsh-medium education and in Post-16.

Medr has oversight of some elements of the work of local government education services (for example, school sixth forms or adult learning in the community funded through the community learning grant), but not others (compulsory school education).

Self-evaluation practice in the LGES sector

In local government education services inspections, self-evaluation and planning for improvement has been an area for improvement over several years. Although local authorities often have appropriate processes to support self-evaluation and performance review, these are not always used purposefully enough to support improvement. For example, quality assurance and self-evaluation processes do not always focus well enough on the impact the service’s work has on pupils’ outcomes. As a result, leaders and officers do not identify areas that are in need of improvement precisely enough. Estyn’s evaluations of local inspection questions often refer to weaknesses in self-evaluation and planning for improvement within service areas. In 2024-2025, two of the three local authorities inspected were given a recommendation to sharpen self-evaluation and improvement planning processes.

Strengths in LGES sector self-evaluation and quality improvement

• Leaders gather a range of evidence including data and feedback from stakeholders. For example, they gather the views of headteachers in sector specific forums. This helps inform their analysis suitably.
• In a few instances, local authorities use a range of evidence well to evaluate their work.
• In a few local authorities, officers have regular opportunities to present monitoring and evaluation reports about the work of their teams. This helps them to identify broad strengths and areas for improvement in their service areas.
• In the few best examples, improvement plans include clear success criteria and outline timelines for improvement.  Clear links are made to objectives within the local authority’s corporate plans.

Areas for improvement in LGES sector self-evaluation and quality improvement

• Success criteria in improvement plans are often too broad and do not refer to the relevant indicators of impact.
• Evaluations often do not focus well enough on the impact of provision on pupils’ outcomes.
• Quality assurance and self-evaluation processes often focus too heavily on monitoring actions taken. As a result, local authorities are overly generous when evaluating their work.
• Local authorities do not identify precisely enough areas that are in need of improvement.