We have three main types of school inspections (apart from themed inspections and verification activities).
- Risk based inspections
- Sample inspections
- Unannounced school visits
We continually monitor risks by means of our digital performance monitor (see below) and incoming signals about governing bodies and schools. Schools with a high risk receive a risk based inspection. Next to that, we inspect an annual sample of schools, which we plan to inspectwith a sample inspection. Finally we carry out unannounced school visits to schools that we have not inspected for some time.
1. Risk based inspection
For risk based school level inspections we follow these steps.
All school inspections start with an expert analysis of the information available to the Inspectorate about the school. We look into the digital performance monitor (see link below) by analyzing the data, complaints, documents, former inspections, websites and other relevant sources.
In this conversation we discuss the risks or other findings that we have detected in our expert analysis with the governing body. We use this conversation to find out more about the school, to help us tailor the school inspection and decide what to focus on.
Inspections are costumized and aimed at assessing the areas that might be at risk. We assess a number of standards in the framework by carrying out observations and conversations with school personnel and stakeholders (like pupils and parents). This leads to an inspection report with judgements on the standards and a judgement of the school as a whole. This can lead to the judgement of an adequate, inadequate or very weak school. We give recovery orders based on legal requirements. The overall judgement and the report is published on our website.
Follow-up inspections are carried out when the school is judged as Inadequate or Very Weak. The follow-up inspection is customized, depending on how well the governing body is in control and the severity of the risks. A very weak school always receives a full inspection within a year. If they have not improved in that period, we notify the ministry. If a school was judged as Adequate but we found some minor shortcomings, we may conduct less intensive follow-up activities.
2. Sample inspections
For sample inspections we follow these steps.
All school inspections start with an expert analysis of the information available to the Inspectorate about the school. We look into the digital performance monitor (see link below) by analyzing the data, complaints, documents, former inspections, websites and other relevant sources.
We assess a standard set of standards of the framework by carrying out observations and conversations with school personnel, pupils and parents. This leads to an inspection report with assessments on the individual standards and an overall judgement on the school as a whole, which can be Adequate, Inadequate or Very weak. We give remedial action orders based on legal requirements. The overall judgement and the report is published on our website.
Follow-up inspections are carried out when the school is judged as Inadequate of Very weak. The follow-up inspection is customized, depending on how well the governing body is in control and the severity of the risks. A very weak school always receives a full inspection within a year. If they have not improved in that period, we notify the ministry. If the school was judged as Adequate but we found some minor shortcomings, we may conduct less intensive follow-up activities.
3. Unannounced school visits
In 2026 we have introduced unannounced school visits. Because these visits are relatively short and require less preparation, we are able to visit more schools, which helps us gain greater insight at school level. We conduct these visits without prior announcement and focus on important aspects of the teaching-learning process, such as teaching quality and (social) safety. The visits have a quality-promoting character; the emphasis is on identifying strengths as well as areas requiring attention. We do not issue an overall judgement on the school following an unannounced school visit, but we may issue one or more remedial action orders in the event of shortcomings. We may also decide to carry out a risk inspection after the unannounced school visit if there is reason to do so.