Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether (a) Ofsted, (b) the Education and Skills Funding Agency, (c) the Regional Schools Commissioner and (d) his Department had sight of board minutes from the Manchester Creative Studio or the Collective Spirit Free School in Oldham prior to the re-brokering of the Collective Spirit Multi-Academy Trust.

When academy trusts require intervention, Regional School Commissioner (RSC) teams work alongside officials from the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) to ensure that both educational and finance and governance issues are addressed. Officials of the ESFA had sight of minutes of Manchester Creative Studio and the Collective Spirit Free School prior to the closure of the Collective Spirit Free School. Officials working on behalf the RSC for Lancashire and West Yorkshire had sight of some extracts from these same minutes and also more recent minutes of Manchester Creative Studio.

With regard to Ofsted, this matter is for Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman. I have asked her to write to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.