Estyn has launched Ready Already (Barod yn Barod), a campaign addressing some of the misconceptions around inspections in schools and PRUs, aiming to reassure education providers not to overprepare for inspection and to teach as they usually would.
Estyn introduced changes to inspections in school and Pupil Referral Units in 2022, including removing summative gradings such as ‘Excellent’, ‘Good’, ‘Adequate’ or ‘Unsatisfactory’. Our approach has created more opportunities for Learners, leaders, teachers and support staff to contribute constructively to collaborative conversations during the inspection process.
Ready Already is an informative campaign featuring school leaders and teachers from across Wales who have recent experience of the latest inspection framework and who provide honest feedback about the approach and the expectations of providers leading up to and during inspection.
The campaign also relays facts directly from Estyn inspectors in a bid to offer clarity and dispel many of the current myths around inspection.
Estyn recognises the additional pressures that an inspection can create. All inspectors are former teachers or education leaders themselves, who have undergone various inspections, and they appreciate that the process should be challenging but also constructive, reflecting the true quality of learning at a school or Pupil Referral Unit.
Inspectors share their findings with senior leaders and the nominee throughout the inspection week in addition to providing feedback at the closing inspection meeting.
Kelly Walker, Wellbeing Inclusion Lead at Alexandra Primary School in Wrexham, speaks positively about her experience of inspection.
“I didn’t come away feeling like I had had a grilling. I came away thinking I had had a conversation about what I do in school and how we work. They were interested in knowing more about us and our ethos.
You don’t need to have this great big pile of things to present to inspectors. You just need to be able to talk and know your stuff. They’re coming to see what you’re doing well. There might be things they suggest to improve. That’s their job. But as a school that’s what we want as well. We want to know how we can get better.
Owen Evans, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, says, “Our objective is to emphasise to learning providers across Wales that they’re already ready for inspection.
“There is absolutely no need to over-prepare for inspection. We know that providers face challenging workloads and often add to these pressures by feeling that they have to prepare a raft of additional paperwork ahead of an inspection.
“This is not the case. Our inspection teams want to see how providers teach day to day. We want to work collaboratively to highlight education and training priorities, which help shape the best possible outcomes for learners.”
