“We would 100% recommend Intelligent Evidence to other schools or trust leaders. It supports better organisation, strengthens quality assurance processes, and helps staff focus on showcasing the impact of their work.”
Julie Cheung, Headteacher
Brownlow Fold
About the school
Brownlow Fold is a primary school based in Bolton. The school is led by Julie Cheung, Headteacher, alongside a strong senior leadership team.
Like many schools, the challenge wasn’t the quality of the evidence, it was bringing everything together in a way that made sense against the new inspection expectations.
“We had the evidence – it was about making sense of it.”
Julie Cheung, Headteacher
Brownlow Fold
The challenge
Checking, aligning, and making sense of a large volume of existing documentation – particularly against a new inspection framework – was difficult and time-consuming. Time spent organising was time lost that could be used to support children and families.
Changes to the inspection framework meant senior leaders were working through multiple files in different formats, trying to work out which documents best demonstrated impact and provision.
Julie and the team were looking for a more efficient way to cross-reference the evidence they already had against the new Ofsted criteria, without duplicating work or starting again.
“You do need to really understand that toolkit inside and out and have your evidence to be able to talk about it.”
Julie Cheung, Headteacher
Brownlow Fold
The solution
Julie first heard about Intelligent Evidence through another local headteacher who spoke positively about their experience of using the platform.
Julie and the team had already collated a great deal of their evidence manually. Intelligent Evidence was introduced to sit alongside and support their existing self-evaluation and quality assurance processes, not to replace them.
Uploading documents was quick and simple, and both Julie and the Deputy Headteacher agreed with the Intelligent Evidence mantra: “If you can upload a document and make a decision, you can use the platform.”
At the time of implementation, the inspection was close and Julie appreciated how helpful the ongoing support from Intelligent Evidence had been, particularly during setup. Being able to email, call, arrange meetings, and have regular check-ins made a real difference as the system was embedded together.
The results
Managing a large volume of evidence in a structured way
Intelligent Evidence helped Brownlow Fold bring a large amount of documentation into one clear, organised place swiftly and efficiently. Instead of evidence being spread across multiple folders and systems, it is now centralised, triangulated and easier to navigate.
This organised evidence base meant the team were able to respond quickly and confidently during inspection, rather than searching for information under pressure.
Going forward, the team plans to upload new evidence as it becomes available, keeping everything current rather than facing a large, time-intensive upload in the future.
“It’s helped us bring everything together in a way that actually makes sense. Inspection preparation now feels more manageable and sustainable over time.”
Julie Cheung, Headteacher
Brownlow Fold
Stronger quality assurance without duplicating work
Intelligent Evidence didn’t add to the team’s existing tasks. Rather than re-doing work, the platform supported the team in checking and aligning evidence more systematically.
For Julie, quality assurance was strengthened without adding extra layers of work. Intelligent Evidence supported the processes already in place and helped ensure evidence was clearly aligned before the inspectors arrived.
Julie expects efficiency to increase further as the team becomes more familiar with the platform and continues to use it regularly as an ongoing tool.
Julie also found that using Intelligent Evidence forced the team to really understand the minutiae of each descriptor – something that proved essential under the new framework.
Clearer visibility of strengths, gaps, and priorities
Intelligent Evidence made it easier to see how different pieces of evidence connected across the framework. In several areas, it surfaced links that Julie hadn’t initially considered, showing how one document could support multiple descriptors.
This broader view strengthened the school’s self-evaluation. It confirmed what Julie already knew, while also highlighting additional impact that might otherwise have been overlooked.
“It helped me celebrate all of the positives, but also recognise where our areas for development are.”
Julie Cheung, Headteacher
Brownlow Fold
Greater clarity and confidence in inspection preparation
Inspectors had clearly reviewed documentation in advance, and discussions focused on confirming practice and impact rather than uncovering gaps.
Under the new framework, inspectors worked bullet by bullet through the framework, wanting to see evidence in action, not just referenced on paper.
Inspection pressure hasn’t disappeared, but the groundwork done beforehand meant there were no surprises in the conversation.
Final thoughts
“We would 100% recommend Intelligent Evidence to other schools or trust leaders. It supports better organisation, strengthens quality assurance processes, and helps staff focus on showcasing the impact of their work.”
Julie Cheung, Headteacher
Brownlow Fold
