Pupil-led work scrutinies: guidance and example questions

Find out how to conduct a successful pupil-led work scrutiny. Download our examples of questions to help staff embed pupil voice into the process.

Last reviewed on 7 February 2024
School types: AllSchool phases: AllRef: 33438
Contents
  1. Why conduct a pupil-led work scrutiny?
  2. 3 ways you could organise the scrutiny
  3. Keep peer-to-peer scrutinies confidential
  4. Make the outcome pupil-friendly
  5. Find out how to conduct a general work scrutiny

Why conduct a pupil-led work scrutiny?

Getting pupils to lead a work scrutiny can: 

  • Affirm pupil voice 
  • Encourage them to feel part of the learning experience 
  • Motivate and empower them 
  • Show you how much they understand 

Embed it into your whole-school approach

Effective scrutiny should: 

  • Reflect the school culture 
  • Be supported by teachers, and not portrayed as a challenge to their practice 
  • Be rigorous enough to justify the time spent on it 

Update your assessment policy and subject monitoring schedule to include:

  • Who will conduct the pupil-led scrutiny 
  • When it’ll take place, e.g. in or outside of lessons 
  • How your school will triangulate it with other monitoring and assessment processes  

3 ways you could organise the scrutiny

1. Get older pupils to evaluate younger pupils’ books

This could be particularly useful if year 7 or 8 pupils look at year 6 work to comment on ‘secondary readiness’.

This way,