This study systematically reviews research evidence regarding two questions: (1) to what extent do schools gain insight into the quality of their own functioning as a result of an inspection? and (2) what are the emotional consequences of inspections experienced by school staff? It provides a review of empirical research studies published as full-length articles in scientific journals and proceedings of international conferences, symposia and workshops, as well as in books or as book chapters, from 1995 until 2012. Both quantitative and qualitative data are considered. The review process identified 35 relevant publications that met the criteria for inclusion. The review leads to the conclusion that inspections fail to contribute significantly to schools' self-understanding, but that they lead to a severe negative emotional impact on school staff. Furthermore it is concluded that the current evidence base shows several gaps, mainly related to underlying explanatory features that contribute to the occurrence of these effects.