Ofsted: Accountability — [Ian Paisley in the Chair]

Opened the debate

The MP is concerned about the accountability of Ofsted and how schools can challenge its decisions. He highlights a survey receiving nearly 2,000 responses raising issues such as the lack of context in inspections, unprofessional conduct by inspectors, rigid criteria, and inadequate complaints processes. The Naburn Church of England Primary School's experience with an 'inadequate' rating after a long gap since the last inspection is used to illustrate these concerns.

Government Response

It is a great pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Paisley. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for York Outer (Julian Sturdy) and other colleagues who have spoken today and brought up individual cases. The debate is timely given Ofsted's 30th anniversary. This period in Ofsted's history has added significance with the resumption of routine graded inspection programmes taking place at the start of this academic year after a period of disruption caused by the pandemic. Ofsted plays a critical role in providing independent assurance to parents, the Government and Parliament that children are receiving the best possible education and are safe. The inspectorate has maintained its independence while complying with various government rules such as those on equality objectives and annual reporting. Ofsted's accountability mechanisms include direct responses to parliamentary correspondence, appearances before Select Committees, and regular meetings with the Secretary of State. The Government's arrangements for Ofsted also provide a separate line of accountability through the statutory board, which monitors targets and ensures the efficiency and effectiveness of its work. Independence is crucial for Ofsted's credibility and value. While inspections can sometimes result in difficult messages for individual schools, colleges, and other providers about the quality of their provision, independent inspection provides undeniable benefits for pupils, parents, staff, and leaders. Ofsted's post-inspection surveys indicate that nine in 10 responding schools are satisfied with the way inspections were carried out. The majority feel that the judgments made by Ofsted are justified based on evidence collected and agree that the inspection will help them to improve further. However, there is a balance to be struck when it comes to workload impact on teachers and leaders. Complaints about inspections are rare; in 2018-19, 1.8% of inspection activity led to formal complaints being received. Ofsted's improvements to its complaints procedures include allowing providers to submit comments on their draft reports before the final report is issued. If a provider remains dissatisfied after an internal review, they can pursue a judicial review or complain to the independent adjudicator appointed by the Secretary of State. The Department recognises the importance of rural schools and has doubled funding for sparsity factor from £42 million in 2021-22 to £95 million this year. The Government have increased expectations for schools, including those previously exempted under the outstanding grade framework, to ensure up-to-date assessments of educational quality. In response to specific cases raised by hon. Members, I will raise concerns with Her Majesty's chief inspector and work closely with local authorities and sponsors to support improvements in struggling schools such as Naburn Primary School.