Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he has taken to ensure that Ofsted inspections of initial teacher training are consistent with previous inspections in (a) rigour and (b) even handedness.

Ofsted are a non-ministerial government department who are independent and report directly to Parliament.

Ofsted held a public consultation on their revised Initial Teacher Education (ITE) inspection handbook, following work on the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) core content framework. This was published by the department in November 2019.

Department officials work regularly with Ofsted counterparts on Ofsted’s plans to deliver ITT inspections. The revised ITE inspection handbook found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/initial-teacher-education-ite-inspection-framework-and-handbook. This sets out that Ofsted inspectors will check that providers of ITT leading to Qualified Teacher Status, have incorporated the ITT Core Content Framework into their course offering.

Inspection provides assurance to the public and to government that:

• Minimum standards for educating trainee teachers are being met.
• Where relevant, public money is being spent well.
• Arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Ofsted can be contacted directly through their home page at: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted.