Consultation outcome

Equality, diversity and inclusion statement

Updated 24 June 2020

Introduction

This document sets out Ofsted’s consideration of how the new initial teacher education (ITE) inspection framework 2020 will enable us to fulfil the requirements of the Equality Act 2010, including the public sector equality duty (PSED) set out in the section 149 of the Equality Act 2010.

The PSED requires Ofsted, when exercising all our functions, including those of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector under section 18B of the Education Act 1994 and the Education and Inspections Act 2006, to have due regard to the need to:

• eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct that is prohibited by or under the Equality Act 2010
• advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it
• foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it

We are publishing this document alongside the consultation outcome report relating to the ‘Framework for initial teacher education inspections 2020: inspecting the quality of teacher education’. This document sets out our assessment of the equality, diversity and inclusion implications prior to and following public consultation. The comments received during the consultation process that raised matters related to equality, diversity and inclusion were considered carefully. They have resulted in some changes to this document, as well as the ITE inspection framework and handbook. For this reason, we are publishing this revised version of our EDI statement. A final version of the ITE framework and handbook has been published alongside the consultation outcome report.

The new ITE inspection framework

The ITE inspection framework published in 2020 replaces the ITE inspection framework that has been in place since 2012. The new framework and handbook set out the criteria against which all ITE partnerships will be inspected.

The new ITE framework will include 2 new key judgement areas for all ITE partnerships:

• quality of education and training
• leadership and management

We will keep the overall effectiveness judgement.

How will the proposed ITE inspection framework impact on those with protected characteristics and the 3 PSED aims?

We have considered how the new framework, handbook and consequent inspection practice could have an impact on individuals or groups of people with protected characteristics. We have also considered whether the new framework meets the 3 PSED aims.

Our intention is to ensure that inspection is able to play its part in advancing equality, diversity and inclusion. Given the focus of the framework on high-quality education and training for trainee teachers, we believe that it will have a positive impact on trainees, and, subsequently, the learners that they will go on to teach as newly qualified teachers, including those with protected characteristics. When inspecting under the new framework, inspectors will consider all the protected characteristics, to ensure that the ITE partnership is promoting equality and diversity and eliminating discrimination. The protected characteristics include the following:

• age
• disability
• gender reassignment
• pregnancy and maternity
• race
• religion or belief
• sex
• sexual orientation
• marriage and civil partnerships

Eliminating discrimination and advancing equality of opportunity

The framework is intended to contribute to these aspects of the duty in the following ways.

Our framework makes clear that there is an expectation that all trainee teachers are entitled to receive a high-quality, ambitious education and training. This should be the case for all individuals, including those with protected characteristics. For this reason in particular, we consider that all protected characteristics are relevant considerations of our new framework. As part of the initial evidence-gathering process, inspectors will ask for evidence from the ITE partnership that demonstrates how it meets the requirements of the Equality Act 2010, including the PSED (where applicable).

The leadership and management judgement in the framework includes criteria that emphasise the importance of ITE partnerships ensuring that the training respects and teaches knowledge and application of the Equality Act 2010.

We have clarified within our inspection handbook the need for inspectors to establish the extent to which trainee teachers are prepared to be able to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who speak English as an additional language. Rather than assessing SEND as a stand-alone strand or focus of inspection, we have made clear within the handbook that trainees’ competence in identifying and meeting the needs of pupils with SEND must be appropriately woven in and meaningfully integrated throughout any ITE curriculum.

Monitoring and evaluation

We do not anticipate that the new framework and handbook will have a disproportionate impact on individuals or groups who share protected characteristics, although we recognise that there may be areas that are impacted on. We consider that we have given full and appropriate consideration to all elements of the PSED. The intention of the framework is to ensure that Ofsted is able to comply with its legal duties to advance equality, diversity and inclusion in line with the law.

We routinely gather and publish data about our inspection outcomes. Through this process, we will be able to monitor and evaluate whether any particular group is affected negatively once inspections of ITE partnerships take place under the new framework.