Examination of Witnesses (Questions 40-44)
MR DAVID
SHERLOCK, MS
NICKY PERRY
AND MR
DENIS MCENHILL
31 OCTOBER 2005
Q40 Jeff Ennis: A follow on to the
point David is making, if the two work areas are divorced—the
inspection and the quality improvements—as the current planning,
why cannot your union within Ofsted apply to do the commissioning
work on behalf of the QIA?
Mr Sherlock: I think that is exactly
what we would do.
Q41 Jeff Ennis: What is wrong with
that?
Mr Sherlock: Nothing. I think
if one was looking at what Mr Marsden described as a ring-fenced
structure where, in fact, you had a series of divisions within
a large organisation which were particularly tailored to their
own client groups, I think that might work very well and it might
have the added-value of bringing together, as I said, the 14-19
strategy and the skills strategy which, at the moment, are somewhat
detached.
Q42 Jeff Ennis: Does your record
of achievement in this field not give you a leading edge, as it
were, in terms of getting the work from the QIA anyway?
Mr Sherlock: Yes. The indication
from QIA is that they would want to buy and that they value the
Provider Development Unit that we operate, Excalibur that we operate,
the Quality Champions programme that we operate and so forth.
I think that QIA is certainly not an impediment in any sense,
but I do not think the QIA either would provide those services
itself or could provide those new services itself. If the new
body, the enlarged Ofsted, were unwilling to continue to succour
them, then they would simply disappear from the agenda, from the
providers that we serve. All the indications are that that blend
of quality improvement and quality assessment services—
Q43 Jeff Ennis: One of your main
concerns then is the disappearance of the quality improvement
agenda?
Mr Sherlock: That is certainly
one of our main concerns, absolutely.
Ms Perry: It is also the focus
on the particularities of the different types of provision which
we believe would be lost.
Q44 Chairman: The Association of
Colleges, they seem to be a bit ambivalent about you; is that
to be expected or is that an incorrect reading?
Mr Sherlock: I think it is to
be expected, Chairman. At the moment 80-odd% of the students in
the general FE college are adults. Nevertheless we work under
the direction of Ofsted. I think we work very effectively. I think
we have put together joint teams which have been pretty much seamless.
Nevertheless, I think the AOC is justified in feeling it is a
fairly cumbersome kind of arrangement. I think they would prefer
it if there was a single inspectorate. I can understand that,
even though Ofsted and ourselves have worked hard and long in
order to try and mitigate any structural difficulties. I think
they would like to have a single inspectorate. I think perhaps
their hopes in that regard are somewhat exaggerated because QAA
and others would continue to be involved but nevertheless I understand
that and I have some sympathy with them.
Chairman: I think that has been a very
good session. David, Nicky and Denis, can I thank you very much
for your evidence and because time is short for the consultation
process, it looks like we have got to get our act together quite
quickly to make an impact. Thank you very much for your attendance.
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