WIREDGOV

Ofsted yesterday launches a consultation on proposals to revise and streamline arrangements for the inspection of residential provision in further education colleges for students under the age of eighteen.

From September 2012, Ofsted proposes to concentrate on five key judgements for colleges: overall effectiveness, outcomes for young people, quality of service, safeguarding and leadership and management.

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Miriam Rosen said:

‘We are changing the way we inspect to ensure that we focus even more on what is important in residential provision in a college: that it is well managed, that young people are safe and well cared for, and that their experience of living away from home contributes in a positive way to their personal and social development.

‘We intend our proposed changes to raise expectations, leading to improvements in outcomes for learners residing at colleges. It is important that we gather the widest possible range of views from those who have an interest in colleges, particularly students, to ensure the inspection framework takes account of the needs and circumstances of everyone affected.’

The proposed changes will establish common ground in the way Ofsted inspects residential provision in all types of schools and colleges. This will enable learners, parents and carers to compare the residential provision in boarding schools and colleges when making decisions about where to study.

Colleges will be given less notice of their inspection, ensuring that what inspectors see on the ground is representative. Where the residential provision is being inspected separately from the education provision, Ofsted proposes that colleges should not be given any notice of the inspection. Where the inspection of residential provision takes place at the same time as that of education provision, the notice period will be two to three weeks.

Inspectors will ask learners about their experiences at the college, and after the inspection will send them a short letter telling them the results of the inspection. Colleges judged to be inadequate will be subject to monitoring visits prior to their next full inspection.

Most importantly, the changes should help ensure there is better residential provision in colleges for young people.

Notes to editors

1. The consultation runs from Tuesday 4 October to Tuesday 27 December 2011. This consultation is being run in parallel with Ofsted’s consultation on revisions to Common Inspection Framework for FE and Skills, which launched on 1 September 2011.
2. The new arrangements will commence in September 2012. The proposals for colleges mirror key aspects of the recently published new approach to inspecting boarding in schools, including the key judgements.
3. Residential provision in colleges is inspected against the national minimum standards originally developed by the Department of Health, and now the responsibility of the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS). Any amendments or changes to the standards are the responsibility of BIS, and are not covered in this consultation.
4. Legislative background: Inspections of residential provision in colleges are carried out under the Children Act 1989 as amended by the Care Standards Act 2000. Ofsted inspects residential provision in colleges, but does not regulate it. This means that, unlike some other types of social care or welfare provision, we do not inspect residential provision in colleges against a set of regulations, and raise actions where such regulations are not met.
5. This consultation does not apply to private colleges or language schools.
6. The consultation questionnaire is available on the Ofsted website www.ofsted.gov.uk
7. The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.
8. Media can contact the Ofsted Press Office through 020 7421 5911 or via Ofsted's enquiry line 0300 1231231 between 8.30am - 6.00pm Monday - Friday. Out of these hours, during evenings and weekends, the duty press officer can be reached on 07919 057359

Associated resources

• Inspection of residential provision for students under eighteen years of age in further education colleges