Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to improve Ofsted's inspection regime for small private schools to combat extremism and radicalisation.

All schools, including independent schools, are required to safeguard children from harm. This includes the harm of radicalisation and extremism. In addition to their statutory safeguarding obligations, under the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, schools are subject to the Prevent duty which requires them to have “due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism”.

Under the Prevent duty, and as set out in the Teachers’ Standards and Independent School Standards, schools must actively promote our shared values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.

Ofsted’s inspection framework is already clear that all schools must promote these values and adhere to the Prevent duty. All inspectors are trained to inspect under the framework and Ofsted also has inspectors with specialist counter-extremism skills and experience. The department continues to work with Ofsted to learn from the findings of its inspections and ensure the department’s work continues to support the sector to effectively implement the Prevent duty.

All maintained schools and academies are inspected by Ofsted, as are just under half of all independent schools. Those independent schools not inspected by Ofsted are subject to inspections by the Independent Schools Inspectorate or the School Inspection Service.

The Teachers’ Standards can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/665520/Teachers__Standards.pdf

The Independent School Standards can be found here: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/3283/schedule/made.