§ Lord Northbourneasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the Ofsted inspectors carrying out inspections at reception classes as part of a school inspection during 1998 used the same criteria in assessing the social and emotional development of four year-olds as were used by inspectors from Ofsted inspecting pupils of similar age in pre-school 49WA playgroups, nursery classes and nursery schools; and whether the provision of child centred education was of a comparable standard in each case; and [HL1407]
Whether inspections carried out by Ofsted in 1998 of reception classes in primary schools included a representative sample of schools serving inner-city and other severely disadvantaged areas. [HL1408]
§ The Minister of State, Department for Education and Employment (Baroness Blackstone)These are matters for HM Chief Inspector of Schools, Chris Woodhead. I have asked him to write to the noble Lord and to place a copy of his letter in the Library.