Ofsted regulation.. hands off!

Written by Rosie Keeling

Last week, ISC kicked back against government proposals to make the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) answerable to Ofsted.

At the end of July, just as schools had closed their doors for the summer holidays, the DCSF issued a consultation on a proposal to transfer its responsibility for the registration and regulation of Independent Schools and Non Maintained Special Schools (NMSSs) to Ofsted. We had been given no advance notice that this was on the cards, so coupled with the fact that the proposals are based on serious factual errors, we didn’t have much time to react and try to change the Government’s mind.

In essence, the proposals will mean that Ofsted, rather than the Secretary of State, becomes accountable for regulating the whole independent sector. That doesn’t mean inspecting schools directly. That area will remain with The Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI). But it would mean that Ofsted would become the interpreter of regulation for the ISI and therefore dictate the inspection agenda. We want the ISI to report to Ed Balls just like Ofdted does in the maintained sector. Also Ofsted doesn’t have the capacity to take on new responsibilities. ISC chief executive Jonathan Shephard referred to Ofsted as a ‘python-like bureaucracy struggling to digest its existing workload’. Only recently, the Parliamentary Education and Skills Committee questioned Ofsted’s ‘fitness for purpose’ – so ISC is not alone in voicing such concerns.

We also sent a response to the DCSF regarding its proposal to abolish Approved Special School (ASS) status. Here our concerns relate directly to the welfare of those children with Special Educational Needs (SEN), and whose best interests, we believe, would immediately be jeopardised if the status of Approved Special Schools were to disappear. The current Approved system, introduced back in the 80’s, provides a system of positive approval to make sure that any independent school catering for SEN pupils is able to meet their very specific needs.The Approved ‘kitemark’ effectively indicates where such provision exists – so without it, local authorities would have to place a child with SEN without this guidance. ISC is not sure whether local education authorities (LEAs) have the will or the resources to fully investigate the expertise on offer in an individual schools – resulting, most likely, in mis-matched placements. We have heard from a number of parents over the last few weeks with children who have already really suffered through their LEA placing them at the wrong school, unable to copy with or cater for their needs. If Approved status were to be abolished, the risk is that ALL children could be misplaced, not just a few. The consequences of the wrong placement being made are devastating. Send a child, especially one with SEN, to a non-specialist school and the effect can last a lifetime.

ISC has done, and will continue to respond to Government consultations, on behalf of the sector.
We’d welcome your thoughts on these important issues as well – so do get in touch.

This entry was posted on Thursday, October 25th, 2007 at 12:03 pm by Rosie Keeling and is filed under News, Public Affairs, School Inspection. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.