HC Deb 24 March 1983 vol 39 cc451-2W
Mr. Corrie

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has considered the future role of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Schools in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Younger

I am today publishing a policy statement on the role and future operation of the inspectorate. This follows the completion of a scrutiny of the inspectorate within the programme co-ordinated by Lord Rayner. Copies of the statement and the scrutiny report are available in the Library.

It is important that the country gets value for the massive resources which are invested in education, and the inspectorate has a key role to play in this. It will provide an audit of the system by assessing and reporting on the quality of education being provided. It will identify cost-effective ways of meeting educational needs and indicate desirable and attainable norms of quality. It is already nearing completion of a study of the management of secondary schools and further work of this kind will be undertaken.

The education system has to adapt to meet changing needs and has to find ways of improving the quality of education. The inspectorate plays a crucial part in the system and the value of its work has been widely recognised. It has to give a lead in bringing about change as in the implementation of the Government's action plan for 16 to 18-year-olds.

Its findings must be made more readily available to the customers of the education system—pupils, students, parents and employers. One way in which this will be achieved is by publishing promptly reports of general inspections of schools and colleges. Not only will this influence the institutions inspected, but other schools and colleges will examine their own standards in the light of the reports, and parents and employers will be better informed about what they should require of the education service. This will lead to greater accountability to the general public.

To carry out the enhanced role of the inspectorate there will have to be careful matching of staffing resources to the tasks being undertaken. It is important that staffing should be flexible and that it should be possible to bring in teachers and others who are leaders in their field to work on particular projects.

Copies of the policy statement are being sent to each education authority and to a wide range of other bodies concerned with education.