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Press release: New inspection contracts signed

The Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted) has confirmed the appointment of three inspection service contractors to inspect schools, colleges, apprenticeships, adult skills and Initial Teacher Education from September 2009.

The new arrangements will help Ofsted to achieve greater impact, integration and consistency in the provision of inspection services. The new inspection contracts offer greater value for money, and improved efficiency in the way Ofsted inspects.

Inspection contracts will be structured around three contract areas (North, South, and Midlands). The new arrangements have been extended to include all inspections in maintained schools, independent schools that do not belong to an association, colleges, apprenticeships, adult skills and Initial Teacher Education. The contracts will run from September 2009 until the end of August 2015. They will involve additional inspectors working with Her Majesty’s Inspectors in a similar way to the current contracts.

The following inspection service contractors have been appointed:

• CfBT Education Trust to cover the contract area for the North

• Serco to cover the contract area for the Midlands

• Tribal Group to cover the contract area for the South.

Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert said: ‘Ofsted has a track record of delivering high quality inspections through partnership with contractors. These new arrangements will ensure Ofsted has a high quality, flexible and diverse workforce helping Ofsted deliver consistency and value for money in the way we inspect.’

Neil McIntosh, Chief Executive, CfBT Education Trust said: ‘We have been successfully managing inspection services in the north west of England since 2005 and thanks to the hard work, professionalism and dedication of colleagues in Skelmersdale and Reading we are well placed to deliver this larger contract. During the past four years we have provided a first-class service – continually hitting all targets set and I am confident that we will continue to deliver the same high quality inspection services through this new, expanded contract.’

Elaine Simpson, MD Education & Children's Services, Serco said: ‘We are really looking forward to working with Ofsted, with new and existing Inspectors, and with schools, colleges, work based training providers and other providers of educational services. We intend to use a number of innovative approaches to ensure the inspection processes are delivered effectively, for example through increasing the use of current practitioners as Inspectors.’

Peter Martin, Chief Executive, Tribal Group said: ‘As a provider of high quality inspection services to Ofsted since 1996 we are naturally delighted with this news. Tribal is passionate about improving public services. We will build on our good track record and ensure that our work maximises the impact that inspection makes on the improvement of educational standards.’

Each contractor will be accountable to Ofsted for inspection within their contract area and will be expected to work with other contractors when necessary, for example, to support the inspection of large providers that span contract areas. The contractors will also provide additional inspectors to support survey work and targeted inspection for Comprehensive Area Assessments. Ofsted will continue to be responsible for the management, quality assurance and support of these latter areas of work.

Under the new contract arrangements commencing in September 2009:

• Contractual requirements for maintained schools will remain broadly the same.

• Further Education colleges and non-association independent school inspections will be carried out by the three new contractors.

• Contractors will provide additional inspectors to support survey work where required.

• The scope of the contracts will now include: all work based, adult, and community learning; Initial Teacher Education; targeted inspections for Comprehensive Area Assessment; Early Years Foundation Stage and early years in maintained schools that are directly under the responsibility of a school’s governing body or where the provision is on a school site.

• Support arrangements will bring all inspections broadly into line with current arrangements for maintained schools inspection.

• Transition arrangements from the existing contracts are underway and the staff of existing contractors may transfer to the new contractors to ensure smooth implementation.

Notes For Editors

1. Under the current contract arrangements (which finish at the end of this academic year, 2008/9), Ofsted has contracts with five regional inspection service providers (RISPS) who support school inspections by recruiting, managing and deploying additional inspectors, quality assuring their work, and by providing administrative support services. At present, Ofsted also contracts with two national inspection service providers (NISPS): one for colleges and one for independent schools.

2. The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) regulates and inspects registered childcare and children's social care, including adoption and fostering agencies, residential schools, family centres and homes for children. It also inspects all state maintained schools, non-association independent schools, pupil referral units, further education, initial teacher education, and publicly funded adult skills and employment-based training, the Children and Family Courts Advisory Service (Cafcass), and the overall level of services for children in local authority areas.

3. The Ofsted Press Office can be contacted on 08456 404040 between 8.30am – 6.30pm Monday – Friday. During evenings and weekends we can be reached on 07919 057359.

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