What is an independent review or audit?

An independent review or audit is when an outside person checks how a school is doing. They aren’t part of the school. That’s the point. They give an honest view without bias.

Schools use them to find problems before someone else does. Often before Ofsted does.

What’s the difference between a review and an audit?

The two words get used loosely, but there’s a rough split.

An audit usually checks one area in detail. For example, a safeguarding audit looks at your single central record, your policies, your training, and how staff respond to concerns.

A review is broader. It looks at the bigger picture. A pre-inspection review, for instance, looks across the whole school the way an inspector would.

Both end with findings and actions. Both should be honest.

Why do schools have them?

A few reasons.

To prepare for inspection. Most schools want to know where they stand before Ofsted arrives. A review gives them that.

To find weak spots. It’s easy to miss problems when you’re inside the school every day. An outside eye catches things you’ve stopped noticing.

To give leaders confidence. A good review confirms what’s working, not just what isn’t. That matters too.

To reassure governors or trustees. They’re responsible for the school, but they aren’t there daily. An independent view helps them hold leaders to account.

What does a reviewer actually look at?

It depends on the type of review. A whole-school review usually covers:

• Safeguarding and child protection
• Quality of education and the curriculum
• Teaching, including adaptive teaching and how needs are met
• Behaviour and attitudes
• Personal development
• Leadership and management
• Outcomes for groups like SEND, Pupil Premium, and EAL pupils

A reviewer doesn’t just read policies. They watch lessons, talk to staff and pupils, look at work, and check whether what’s written down actually happens.

How does a review work?

Usually in stages.

First, planning. The reviewer agrees the focus and scope with the school. What do you want looked at, and why?

Then the visit. This might be a day or two on site. The reviewer gathers evidence: observations, conversations, documents, data.

Then the report. The reviewer writes up what they found. Good reports are clear and specific. They say what’s working, what isn’t, and what to do next.

The best reviews end with an action list the school can actually use. Not vague advice. Clear steps, with priorities.

Who carries out these reviews?

Often former inspectors, headteachers, or experienced education consultants. People who know the frameworks and have seen a lot of schools.

What matters is that they’re credible and independent. A reviewer who tells you only what you want to hear is no use to anyone.

Is a review the same as an inspection?

No. And it’s worth being clear on this.

An inspection is formal. It’s carried out by Ofsted, it’s published, and it has consequences. You can’t choose to have one or not.

A review is something the school chooses. It’s private. The findings belong to the school. The school decides what to do with them.

A review can prepare you for inspection, but it can’t replace it.

Are they worth it?

For most schools, yes. A good review gives you honest information before it’s too late to act on it.

But it only works if you’re willing to hear hard things. A review that gets filed away and ignored is wasted money. The value is in what you do next.