Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 21 September to Question 29170 on Schools: Inspections, whether headteachers will have the opportunity to provide submissions to inform the plans.

Through the Big Listen consultation, Ofsted heard concerns from stakeholders, including the education sector, about its complaints process and made changes in response. More recently, as part of its consultation on the refreshed framework, Ofsted commissioned Sinead McBrearty of Education Support to conduct an independent assessment of the changes’ impact on wellbeing. The assessment recommended strengthening the complaints process. As set out in the response to the hon. Member for St Albans’ previous question on this matter, Ofsted has reviewed its complaints arrangements for schools. His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Martyn Oliver, announced a pilot of a new complaints service for Ofsted on 16 October. This pilot introduces another level of independence to Ofsted’s complaint arrangements, where schools can request a review of how Ofsted handled their complaint including, for the first time, the outcome of the complaint, and aspects linked to inspection findings. The review will be undertaken by an independent body, through a contract held by the department. Further details will be available in due course.