Education: Return in January

Valerie Vaz Excerpts

Wednesday 5th January 2022 Commons Chamber

[Nadhim Zahawi]

I can absolutely give my hon. Friend that assurance.

[Valerie Vaz (Walsall South) (Lab)]

I wish a happy new year to you, Madam Deputy Speaker, and to all colleagues.

Given that there is a break in Ofsted inspections, could the Secretary of State speak to Ofsted about having some of the inspectors return to the classroom, making their inspections more efficient in future?

[Nadhim Zahawi]

I am grateful to the right hon. Lady for her question. Just to be very clear, for this first week, because secondary schools are conducting the tests that we have asked them to do for the students’ return, there will be an Ofsted inspection break. Schools can also request a deferral if they have high absenteeism. Moreover, practitioners who are currently heads of schools and also inspectors will not be asked to carry out inspections when Ofsted returns to inspecting after this first week. Equally importantly, because of the safeguarding requirements for children in social care, inspections will carry on as normal.