DfE “considering” change to outstanding schools inspection exemption
Speaking in the House of Commons on Monday, Schools Minister Nick Gibb MP said the Department was “considering” a change to the outstanding schools inspection exemption.
Nick Gibb was questioned by MPs over the Public Accounts Committee’s recommendation that the exemption be reviewed.
The Schools Minister said:“Ofsted assesses and looks at triggers that will cause an inspection to happen, even if [a school is] judged as ‘outstanding’ and is exempt from inspection, for example if the results of a school fall or if there are complaints received from parents or if there are safeguarding concerns.
“All those are triggers which will cause an inspection to happen even in an ‘outstanding’ school, so [you] can be confident that a school that is judged ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ is ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’.
“We are considering the public accounts committee’s recent recommendation that we review the exemption, and will be responding formally to this in December,” he added.
HMCI Amanda Spielman has upped the pressure on Ministers in recent months, warning that the exemption is no longer sustainable and may be masking poor quality education.
Schools North East analysis of the latest data publication from Ofsted shows the North East has the highest proportion (21%) of outstanding schools that have not been inspected since at least October 2008.
