Corporate report

Ofsted Board minutes: 26 April 2023

Updated 19 September 2024

Applies to England

Present

Christine Ryan (Chair)

Amanda Spielman (HMCI)

Felicity Gillespie

Laura Wyld

David Meyer

Jon Yates

Jo Moran

Frank Young

Hamid Patel

Executive attendance

Matthew Coffey (Chief Operating Officer)

Louise Grainger (Director, Finance, Planning and Commercial)

Chris Jones (Director, Strategy and Engagement)

Alex Jones (Director, Insights and Research)

Chris Russell (National Director, Education)

Yvette Stanley (National Director, Regulation and Social Care)

Observer

Heather McNaughton (Department for Education (DfE))

Also in attendance

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

Head of Strategy

Mark Leech (Deputy Director, communications) (meeting item, Strategic priorities and related risks)

Kate Warburton (Deputy Director, Legal Services) (meeting item, Strategic priorities and related risks)

Matthew Purves (Regional Director, South East) (meeting item, Strategic priorities and related risks)

Executive support

Board Secretary

Status

Approved at the board meeting on 29 June 2023.

Welcome, apologies and declarations of interest

Apologies were received from Chris Hanvey, Martin Spencer and Carole Stott. Input on board matters was provided in advance of the meeting and included in discussions.

Laura Wyld declared that she has started an associate relationship with AGL Communication.

Minutes, matters arising and action log

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

The Corporate Governance Framework has been published and a letter sent to the Chair of the Education Select Committee, which was shared with the board at the meeting. As agreed at the last board meeting, the Corporate Governance Framework will be a standing item on the December board agendas to be reviewed annually.

Chris Hanvey is stepping down from the audit and risk assurance committee. Jon Yates has agreed to sit on the committee.

Board effectiveness action plan

Progress against the board effectiveness action plan was reviewed. Jo Moran will lead on the implementation of board development day outputs and will canvas board member views on next actions.

A stakeholder mapping session will be scheduled for later in the year.

Action: Board secretary to arrange a stakeholder mapping session with board members.

HMCI update

The board was updated on meetings with headteacher unions and continuing discussions with the DfE on various policy priorities particularly around safeguarding and monitoring visits. The board asked for further information on the nature and frequency of safeguarding failures in inspection findings.

Action: An update will be provided at the next board meeting.

The board requested that the high-level Education Inspection Framework (EIF) evaluation plan and research questions for the process be shared with the board. The strategy 2022-27, launched last April, committed to an evaluation of the performance of our inspection frameworks.

Action: Director, Insights and Research to present the high level EIF evaluation plan and research questions at the next board meeting.

The budget setting process was discussed. The board requested a briefing on how decisions are made about competing priorities and trade-offs.

Action: Director, Finance, Planning and Commercial to provide an overview of the process at the next board meeting.

Strategic risk register

Following feedback from the board and ARAC to simplify the presentation of the register, the residual risk rating and risk tolerance columns have been updated. The residual risk rating column now states whether that rating takes the risk to our tolerable risk appetite and flags where it does not.

Assurance was sought by the board that the residual risk rating was reliable and that there is a clear sense of when the residual risk rating would be reached. The board acknowledged that many of the risks are subject to constant change and so predictions on when the residual risk rating might be reached will always be a best estimate; however, some measures would be useful.

Action: Head of Strategy to conduct a light touch analysis of the residual risk ratings for discussion at the next board meeting.

The board indicated that it would be useful for the written commentary of the strategic risk register to include detail on outcomes rather than a description of actions taken.

Action: Head of Strategy to review the written commentary in the strategic risk register.

Strategic priorities and related risks

The board was briefed by the Regional Director, South East on the Caversham Primary school inspection, covering the findings, conduct of the inspection, the wider response, and current debates around Ofsted. A briefing on the inquest process and the evidence that will be submitted was provided by the Deputy Director, Legal Services.

The board will continue to be kept informed and briefed by the executive. An update will also be provided at the next board meeting.

Relationship between performance data and Ofsted judgements

An analysis of the relationship between performance data and Ofsted judgements was presented to the board. It was agreed that further analysis would be valuable on how this varies by region and deprivation levels, including how correlation has changed over time.

Action: Director, Insights and Research will provide further analysis to the board.

Finance report

The financial position at the end of period 11 (February 2023) was presented to the board.

Audit and Risk Committee (ARAC) update

At its meeting on 13 March ARAC reviewed the internal audit plan for 2023-24, which has been approved by HMCI. The committee was briefed on the work undertaken so far with the Annual Report and Accounts (ARA). A meeting will take place on 11 May for ARAC members to provide feedback on the draft version of the ARA.

The board was informed that the Head of Internal Audit gave a ‘substantial’ opinion, stating that overall Ofsted’s framework of governance, risk management and control was adequate and effective. This was the fourth consecutive year that GIAA has given a ‘substantial’ opinion. The board commended the executive team for this significant achievement.

AOB

Jo Moran visited Operations in the Manchester office for 2 days in March. The purpose of the visit was to share ways of working, challenges, and ideas for improvement in relation to the use of strategic resources. The visit was a great success.

The Chair asked board members to suggest agenda items for the next meeting in June. The board agreed that there should be a focus on social care at the next meeting.