NTES International Inspection Library
Explore official inspection and self-evaluation guidance across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Education inspection is devolved across the United Kingdom. Each jurisdiction therefore has its own inspectorate, framework, terminology and inspection methodology.
England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland operate separate inspection systems. Schools should use the guidance issued for their own jurisdiction rather than applying an England-only framework across the whole UK.
Four education jurisdictions
Although terminology and methodology differ, inspectors across the UK examine many comparable areas including learning, teaching, learner outcomes, wellbeing, leadership, safeguarding and improvement.
This NTES reference library keeps the four jurisdictions separate so school leaders can access the correct official material while also recognising areas of common quality practice.
England
Ofsted
Scotland
Education Scotland / HM Inspectors
Wales
Estyn
Northern Ireland
Education and Training Inspectorate
UK framework library
Access the relevant inspectorate and understand the main areas that shape inspection and self-evaluation.
Education Inspection Framework & School Inspection Toolkit
Ofsted inspects maintained schools, academies and certain independent schools in England under the Education Inspection Framework and associated inspection toolkits and operating guidance.
Key areas
Achievement
Attendance and behaviour
Curriculum and teaching
Inclusion
Leadership and governance
Safeguarding
How good is our school? (4th edition)
HM Inspectors evaluate Scottish schools using quality indicators from How good is our school? (4th edition), with self-evaluation forming an important part of the improvement and inspection process.
Key areas
Leadership of change
Learning, teaching and assessment
Wellbeing, equality and inclusion
Raising attainment and achievement
Self-evaluation
Continuous improvement
Estyn Inspection Guidance
Estyn publishes inspection guidance for maintained schools and other education sectors in Wales. Its current maintained-school framework considers teaching and learning, wellbeing and support, and leadership and improvement.
Key areas
Teaching and learning
Wellbeing
Care, support and guidance
Leadership
School improvement
Curriculum
Inspection and Self-Evaluation Framework
The Education and Training Inspectorate uses an Inspection and Self-Evaluation Framework designed to support both external inspection and internal self-evaluation.
Key areas
Outcomes for learners
Quality of provision
Leadership and management
Care and welfare
Governance
Safeguarding
England / Ofsted
Ofsted's renewed inspection arrangements use a collection of related documents rather than relying on one old-style school inspection handbook.
Schools should consider the Education Inspection Framework, the relevant inspection toolkit and the associated inspection guidance together.
September 2026 update
Ofsted has published updated toolkit and operating-guide versions for inspections from September 2026.
The overarching framework explaining why Ofsted inspects education providers and the principles that underpin inspection.
View official resource →The evaluation standards used by inspectors and schools when discussing the quality of provision.
View official resource →Operational guidance explaining how inspectors conduct school inspections.
View official resource →Inspection toolkit and operating guidance for non-association independent schools in England.
View official resource →International comparison
The terminology below is intentionally simplified for comparison. Schools should always use the exact terminology in their own jurisdiction's official framework.
| Theme | England | Scotland | Wales | Northern Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| School self-evaluation | Inspection evidence and leadership evaluation | Strongly embedded through HGIOS4 | Connected to improvement and leadership | Explicitly integrated through ISEF |
| Teaching and learning | Inspection toolkit evaluation area | Core quality indicator | Inspection Area 1 | Quality of provision |
| Leadership | Leadership and governance | Leadership of change | Leading and improving | Leadership and management |
| Safeguarding / wellbeing | Safeguarding and inclusion | Wellbeing, equality and inclusion | Wellbeing, care and support | Safeguarding and care/welfare |
Official PDF Library
Use the NTES Official PDF Library to access selected inspection, evaluation and self-evaluation documents without repeatedly navigating multiple authority websites.
Official source links and version information are provided alongside each document so schools can verify currency and applicability.
Inspection frameworks and operating guidance are periodically revised. Schools should verify that they are using the version currently applicable to their sector, jurisdiction and inspection date.
NT Education Solutions is an independent education provider and is not affiliated with Ofsted, Education Scotland, Estyn, the Education and Training Inspectorate or the governments represented in this library.
From external inspection to internal improvement
The NTES School Self-Evaluation Toolkit provides an independent structure for evidence review, triangulation, validated findings, improvement-priority selection and leadership validation.