HC Deb 15 January 1998 vol 304 c292W
Mr. Don Foster

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what assessment he has made of the value for money of the work of OFSTED in seeking to raise secondary pupils' standards of educational achievement since September 1993; [22849]

(2) what independent assessment his Department has made of OFSTED's effectiveness in improving the standards of GCSE achievement by 15 year old maintained pupils' nationally between September 1993 and 1997; and by what criteria in terms of pupils' educational achievements and welfare his Department assesses OFSTED's performance. [22854]

Mr. Byers

[holding answer 14 January 1998]: OFSTED continues to play an essential part in the drive to achieve higher standards. Regular inspection of all schools by OFSTED contributes to public accountability and to the improvement of the education service through the comparative data which is then made available. It is not possible to separate the work of OFSTED from the other factors that have contributed to these improvements.

Mr. Don Foster

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what estimate his Department has made of(a) the total cost, (b) the average total cost per maintained secondary pupil and (c) the average total cost per secondary school of the first four-year cycle of OFSTED secondary school inspections (i) excluding and (ii) including private training costs to inspectors; [22851]

(2) what estimate his Department has made of (a) the total cost, (b) the average total cost per maintained primary pupil and (c) the average total cost per secondary school, of the first three-year cycle of OFSTED primary school inspections (i) excluding and (ii) including private training costs to inspectors; [22852]

(3) what estimate his Department has made of (a) the total projected cost per annum, (b) the projected average cost per pupil per annum and (c) the average total cost per LEA of OFSTED's inspections, (i) excluding and (ii) including private training costs to inspectors. [22853]

Mr. Byers

[holding answer 14 January 1998]: I am seeking this information from Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools, Chris Woodhead, and will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library.