Summary of changes
Updated 26 February 2024
Applies to England
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/inspecting-education-skills-and-work-activities-in-prisons-and-young-offender-institutions-eif/summary-of-changes
February 2024
In this update, we have made the following changes to the further education and skills inspection handbook:
Paragraph 16: clarification regarding Ofsted’s role as an inspectorate of further education and skills providers, and not of the specific individuals that work in them.
Paragraph 43: clarification relating to the telephone planning call and who may attend and that inspectors should take account of the well-being of leaders and staff and adjust their approach or activity as appropriate in the best interest of learners.
Paragraph 47: minor clarifications regarding the shadow nominee.
Paragraph 50: clarification that the lead inspector will give the provider an opportunity to raise any issues or concerns or to seek clarification before the inspection and will explain how the provider will be able to raise any matters during the inspection itself.
Paragraph 95: clarification regarding meetings of the inspection team during the inspection which involve the inspection nominee. Clarification that the provider has an opportunity to raise any issues or concerns or to seek clarification about the inspection, and update that the provider can also contact Ofsted on the working day after the end of the inspection, if necessary.
Paragraph 102: clarification that if an issue remains unresolved, the provider can contact Ofsted on the working day after the end of an inspection. This provides the opportunity to raise informal concerns about the inspection process or outcomes or ask about next steps or other matters.
Paragraph 110: clarification that there may be exceptional occasions when it is difficult or inappropriate to continue with an inspection and the inspection needs to be paused. There could be a range of possible eventualities that could give rise to this. Each situation will be considered on a case-by-case basis. We will apply our incomplete inspection policy where appropriate.
Paragraph 113: update that we expect leaders to share the inspection outcome and findings with whoever they deem appropriate and that leaders may also share inspection outcomes, in confidence, with others who are not involved with the provider but the information should not be made public.
August 2022: changes for the October 2022 edition
Removed the ‘Inspection and the COVID-19 pandemic’ section and incorporated content as relevant throughout. Removed all references to ‘transitional arrangements’.
Additions throughout: Ofsted will include an additional paragraph in the quality of education section of the prison’s inspection report. This will describe the contribution made to the prison’s quality of education by the prison education framework (PEF) provider or main education, skills and work contractor. This covers specifically its contribution to the curriculum intent, implementation and impact, drawing on evidence gathered as part of the inspection. See in particular paragraphs 4, 29, 102 and 127.
Additions throughout: Ofsted will include reading in its coverage of ‘quality of education’ and /or’ leadership and management’ as appropriate. See in particular paragraphs 133, 140, 147 and 152 (quality of education) and 172, 179 and 183 (leadership and management).
March 2022
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Paragraph 20 (footnote 7) and 163: the COVID-19 transitional arrangements will continue. We will review in time for September 2022 to see if they are still needed.