The Welsh education minister has reiterated his call for schools and consortia to stop “overpreparing” for inspections as the government attempts to get to grips with excessive teacher workload.

In Jeremy Miles’ written statement yesterday, he said mock and mini inspections were “not a good use of practitioners’ or school improvement advisers’ time”.

School inspection body Estyn was preparing a media campaign “to challenge the myths that often arise about inspection work and expectations of providers”.

Mr Miles said this would help to clarify expectations around pre-inspection preparation.

He stressed that schools did not have to prepare any documentation specifically for inspection - for example, policy documents and lesson plans.

• Background: Strike action in Wales ends as teachers accept new offer
• Related: National categorisation of schools to end in Wales
• Interview: Welsh education minister talks reform and what happens next

Mr Miles said: “In my oral statement to the Senedd on 16 May 2023, I referred to the need to end the practice of mock or mini inspections and more generally discouraging schools and the consortia from overpreparing for Estyn inspections. It is clear from recent discussions with Estyn’s chief inspector that the practice continues - and it must end.

“The chief inspector and I believe strongly that mock or mini inspections are not a good use of practitioners’ or school improvement advisers’ time, does not develop professional practice or support headteacher and teacher wellbeing.”

Workload impact

Other measures to reduce workload highlighted in the statement include:

• A new “workload impact assessment” to ensure any new Welsh government policies consider potential impact on teacher workload, to be completed by May 2024.
• A professional learning programme for Welsh government education policymakers to enable them “to develop a better understanding of the impact of new policies on the workload of education staff”.
• Revised performance management guidance that will be published by the end of the year.
• A new “strategic group” to oversee all issues relating to reducing workload and bureaucracy to be in place by the end of December. 
• A list of administrative and clerical tasks not to be carried out routinely by teachers.

The agreement to focus on reducing teacher workload in Wales formed part of the deal struck earlier this year between the government and unions in the wake of strike action over pay.