Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Ofsted inspects unregistered and independent alternative education providers.

Ofsted inspects all new schools who apply to register as an independent school, which would include independent alternative education providers if they met the criteria to register as an independent school. Once registered, schools are inspected by Ofsted within the first year of operation and thereafter on a regular cycle by Ofsted or by the Independent Schools Inspectorate, who are a body approved by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State.

Ofsted also has powers to inspect any setting without notice if it has reasonable cause to believe that an unregistered independent school is being conducted.