Memorandum submitted by Ofsted (OFS 16)
SCHOOL FUNDING
You raised a question about the inclusion of
school funding data in Ofsted inspection reports.
All school inspection reports include judgements
on how well a school is led and managed. In reaching these judgements,
inspectors assess a range of leadership and management issues,
which include the extent to which the school's approaches to financial
and resource management help to achieve its educational priorities
and how far the principles of best value are central to the school's
management and use of resources. We do not audit the school's
financial management systems; this is done by the LEA. There are
occasions when an inspection report may dwell on the school's
financial management, particularly if it is drawing attention
to very good or weak financial management. However, I do not believe
that to extend the coverage to include details of a school's funding
would add to the understanding of the school by a report reader.
Perhaps a good source of funding information
for parents and local communities, to use to draw comparisons,
is the Section 52 statement produced by LEAs. These statements
set out how well schools are funded and include information at
individual school level. We know that all LEAs are required to
publish these statements and it should not be difficult to get
this information from any LEA. A copy has to be sent to the head
teacher and Governing Body of every school maintained by the authority
and LEAs have to make it available to anyone free of charge and
place it on their website.
Parents can also use the local Strategic Schools
Forum to obtain a view about funding of their local schools. This
is an independent local advisory body, which brings together school
stakeholders and advises each local authority on the application
of the local funding formula.
The "passporting" regime does now
ensure that that funding reaches schools. Last year, 147 of the
150 LEAs passported in full, the increase in their national funding
onto schools. And I would just repeat that I believe our job is
to comment on how well a school manages the funding it receives
and not make a judgement on the level of this funding.
PRISON EDUCATION
You asked whether we had any inspection evidence
differentiated according to who is providing the education, be
they prison officers, teachers etc. Although this was not raised
when David Singleton and Bill Massam appeared in front of the
Committee on this specific subject on 10 November 2004, I am afraid
that we do not have any evidence that differentiates in this way.
DIGNITY AT
WORK
Following up the information provided at the
hearing by Valerie Davey MP, I am pleased to report that we are
intending to make contact with the Amicus Dignity at Work coordinator,
for whom we now have contact details. We will be discussing how
we might take forward any involvement in this issue.
VIEWS OF
PARENTS AND
PUPILS
Members of the Committee asked some questions
about the role of parents and pupils in the new school inspection
arrangements. Please find attached a briefing note on some feedback
we received on this subject which you and your fellow Committee
members may find of interest.
22 November 2004
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