Memorandum submitted by Ofsted
I thought that, in advance of my appearance
before your Committee on 27 March 2006, I would highlight a couple
of "big picture" issues that may be of interest to you
as this hearing covers the broad range of Ofsted's work.
First, we are continuing to make progress in
"Creating the new Ofsted" for implementation subject
to Parliament's approval of the measures in the Education and
Inspection Bill on 1 April 2007. As you are aware, this involves
brigading into Ofsted the responsibilities of the Adult Learning
Inspectorate (ALI); the children's elements of the Commission
for Social Care Inspection; and her Majesty's Inspectorate for
Courts Administration's responsibility to inspect the work of
the Children and Families Court Advisory and Support Service.
The Secretary of State has appointed a Strategy Board to manage
the transition chaired by Richard Handover, the current Chairman
of the ALI, with representation from each of the current inspectorates.
The Bill currently before Parliament will establish a statutory
board to strengthen Ofsted's corporate governance. This comes
on top of the recent completion of a major change programme in
Ofsted which has resulted in 20% savings on Ofsted's budget, delivered
on time and to specification.
This leads me to my second point which is: the
continuation and guaranteed delivery of Ofsted's "business
as usual" during such periods of significant organisational
change. But "business as usual" for Ofsted never means
standing still. During this year, 2005-06, we have implemented
major changes to all of our mainstream inspection programmes right
across our portfolio. We have begun new three year programmes
and frameworks of inspections in our two major fields of business—in
early years and schools—and we have implemented improved
frameworks of inspection in colleges, initial teacher training,
local authorities' children's services departments and propose
to do so in independent schools. The common feature of these new
frameworks is their concordance with the Government's principles
of better regulation and inspection and, specifically, a more
proportionate and less costly approach. Indeed, the Better Regulation
Executive is urging us to go further whilst holding us up as an
exemplar to others.
March 2006
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