Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what directions and guidance her Department has been produced for Ofsted on inspecting schools and educational settings providing Alternative Provision on (a) the priority for and (b) the nature and purpose of those settings.

This is a matter for His 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.

The department publishes statutory guidance for local authorities and schools on arranging and commissioning suitable alternative provision for children and young people. The guidance is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/942014/alternative_provision_statutory_guidance_accessible.pdf.