Corporate report

Minutes of the Audit Risk Assurance Committee: 20 March 2024

Updated 26 November 2024

Applies to England

Present

Martin Spencer , Chair

Laura Wyld, Board member

Jo Moran, Board member

Ian Looker, Co-opted member

Also in attendance

Martyn Oliver, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector (HMCI)

Matthew Coffey, Deputy His Majesty’s Chief Inspector

Louise Grainger, Director, Finance, Planning and Commercial

Private Secretary to HMCI and Head of Private Office and Corporate Governance

Board Secretary

Sebastian Groth, National Audit Office (NAO)

Hassan Rohimun, EY

Tony Smith, Government Internal Audit Agency (GIAA)

Phil Byrne, GIAA

Rory Gribbell, Director, Strategy and Engagement (items 8 and 9)

James McNeillie, Regional Director, South West (item 9)

Status

Approved at the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee (ARAC) meeting 13 June 2024.

1. Chair’s introduction, declarations of interest, minutes, actions and matters arising

Apologies were received from Jon Yates and Khadija Qidwai.

The minutes of the last meeting were approved as a correct record.

Laura Wyld declared that she had been appointed to the House of Lords, preterm birth committee.

2. Draft internal audit plan 2024-25

The committee reviewed the draft internal audit plan 2024-25 and provided the following feedback focused on: supporting the inclusion of the change programme covering HMCI’s first 100 days in post. The committee recognised that elements of the plan are closely linked to ongoing activity in this programme. It was agreed that operational efficiency would be a crosscutting theme in all reviews.

The committee agreed that response to fraud and wider social issues, for example, environmental sustainability, diversity will be considered for inclusion in 2025-26 internal audit plan.

3. Progress against audit recommendations

All remaining audit actions are on track to meet the target completion date.

4. Internal audit progress report 2023-24

All of the annual plan has been delivered apart from 2 audits which are at the draft report stage and will be brought to the meeting in June.

The chair thanked GIAA and Ofsted staff for their work to complete the programme.

5. Issued internal audit reports

Three engagements have been completed since the last ARAC meeting. Substantial assurance was provided in respect of all 3 engagements: Azure Operations; strategic priority: making the most of our insights, and the HR assurance strategy: onboarding and induction.

6. External audit update

EY reported that there were no issues to raise with the committee from the interim audit.

The final audit plan was presented.

The committee noted the NAO value for money and insight report.

7. Finance report

The committee noted Ofsted’s financial position as of the end of the period.

8. Strategic risk report

ARAC noted that the strategic risk register will need to be reviewed and updated to reflect the current context to ensure it aligns with immediate priorities and captures the most significant risks and mitigations.

The external and internal auditors left the meeting.

9. Internal session: Deep dive 2024-25 budget

ARAC was briefed on the 2024-25 budget which will be discussed at the executive committee on 21 March and the board on 22 March.

ARAC supported the proposal to delay changes to the Ofsted Inspector (OI) operating model.

The risk and proposed timescale for implementing changes were discussed and will be reported to the board. HMCI and ARAC have agreed that this risk will be escalated to the strategic risk register.

10. AOB

There was no other business.