Education ministers took departmental questions in the House of Commons this week. Shadow Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson MP, said that it was time for Ofsted to turn a corner. She quoted former chief inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw, who has said that the Secretary of State must respond to the ‘groundswell of opinion building up’ that Ofsted is getting some things wrong.
Secretary of State for Education, Gillian Keegan MP, responded by saying that she believed that there is room for improvement in absolutely everything, and that the current HMCI is listening to school leaders who have expressed concern about the way in which safeguarding is inspected.
Bridget Phillipson went on to set out Labour’s belief that safeguarding reviews should take place annually, adding that ‘reducing schools’ performance to a one-word headline means high stakes for staff but a low level of information for parents.’ She asked the Secretary of State if Labour’s plan to move from headline grades to a new system of school report cards was the logical evolution of Ofsted.
Gillian Keegan also quoted Sir Michael Wilshaw, saying that the removal of Ofsted grades would risk lowering standards. She criticised the Labour party for standing on a manifesto to abolish Ofsted in 2019, and argued that Labour was prioritising teacher unions over raising standards and safeguarding students.
Following the tragic death of Head Teacher Ruth Perry, Schools North East surveyed school leaders in the region, to understand the detail behind the key issues around school accountability. Schools wanted to see a wider conversation about the role Ofsted plays, and a move towards a focus on supportive school improvement with experienced inspectors. You can read the full results here.
Chair of the Education Select Committee, Robin Walker MP, asked about the commitments in the budget to invest in childcare and early years. He asked for an update on the feedback the DfE is getting from the sector on the proposed funding rates, and whether it will meet the inflationary pressures the sector is facing.
Claire Coutinho, minister for children, families, and wellbeing, responded, saying that the DfE had surveyed about 10,000 providers to come up with the rates, saying there had been a positive response especially for rates for one and two-year-olds.
City of Durham MP, Mary Kelly Foy, also asked about the early years. She said providers desperately need clarity on how additional hours will be funded, to ensure families have access to adequate early years support. Claire Coutinho again referenced the survey of providers, adding that the Government has announced the single biggest investment in childcare and will be spending £8 billion on this in four years’ time.
