HC Deb 08 June 2000 vol 351 cc414-5
7. Mr. Clive Efford (Eltham)

What guidance is given to Ofsted inspectors regarding short inspections of secondary schools. [123339]

The Minister for School Standards (Ms Estelle Morris)

The guidance given to inspectors from the Office for Standards in Education will depend on the purpose of the inspection. Some schools are inspected because they are subject to special measures or have serious weaknesses; others may be visited to check the progress that they are making. As part of the regular cycle of inspections, more flexibility has recently been introduced so that effective schools are inspected less often and resources can be directed to those that are less effective.

Mr. Efford

My right hon. Friend is aware of the anger felt by teachers, parents and the local education authority in my area following a short inspection by Her Majesty's inspectorate of one of the largest secondary schools in the country. Would she care to say how schools can plan ahead with any confidence if HMI fails to abide by the minimum standards set out in a document published in January? I have a copy here.

Does my right hon. Friend agree that there are far-reaching implications for schools throughout the country? Would she care to respond to letters sent to her by me, and by the leader of the local education authority? Will she support demands for an annual debate in the House on the activities of Ofsted, so that the House can impose some accountability on the organisation?

Ms Morris

I do understand. My hon. Friend has spoken to me a number of times, and also to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, about the feelings of staff at Crown Woods school. I think that my hon. Friend has acted properly, and that the school has acted properly. In the first instance, the school wrote to Her Majesty's chief inspector. We have made it clear to the school that it has the right to go to the adjudicator, Elaine Rassaby—a woman appointed under this Government so that schools have access to a second opinion.

Two things are now important: first, that the school follows the proper processes, but secondly—I say it in the kindest way—that staff at the school do not let their anger detract from their core job, which is raising standards. I trust that they will not do that. We should await the response and see what happens.

On the accountability of Ofsted, as my hon. Friend knows, the Select Committee on Education and Employment almost annually now interviews HMCI and, on more than one occasion, the Committee's report has been debated on the Floor of the House. I welcome that and hope that it will continue.

Mr. Ian Bruce (South Dorset)

What advice is the Minister giving to inspectors about exclusions in schools? Many schools that are failing have a lot of disruptive pupils, yet head teachers tell me that, for budgetary reasons, they are scared of moving those pupils out of school because, as soon as they do so, they lose the bonus given by the Government for keeping disruptive pupils in school, disrupting other children's education.

Ms Morris

Schools do not lose money for excluding children. Under the present Government, for the first time, money that used to be kept by the local authority in case children were excluded and had to be educated elsewhere is devolved to schools—more money to schools, rather than to the local authority. That is what we have done. It makes sense, if we give money to schools to ensure that children are not excluded and a child is then excluded, that the money goes with the child so that the child can be educated. That is exactly right.

I would be surprised if any school in the hon. Gentleman's constituency had been told by Ofsted inspectors that it should not be excluding children, but it is right that, when Ofsted inspectors go in, they look at the range of provision in the school. That will include looking at those children at risk of exclusion and ensuring that the school has a proper discipline policy.

Just so that there is no mistake—because there has been much mischief making and headline grabbing this week by the Leader of the Opposition—I believe that every hon. Member is united: our clear message to parents, teachers and pupils is that, where a child's behaviour is such that it distracts other students from learning, the head has every right to exclude that child from the school, so that others can get on with learning and teachers can get on with teaching.