Ofsted Board minutes: 18 April 2024
Published 19 September 2024
Applies to England
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Present
Christine Ryan (Chair)
Martyn Oliver, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector (HMCI)
David Meyer
Carole Stott
Jo Moran
Jon Yates
Hamid Patel
Frank Young
Felicity Gillespie
Laura Wyld
Executive attendance
Matthew Coffey (Deputy HMCI)
Louise Grainger (Director, Finance, Planning and Commercial)
Rory Gribbell (Director, Strategy and Engagement)
Alex Jones (Director, Insights and Research)
Lee Owston (National Director, Education)
Yvette Stanley (National Director, Regulation and Social Care)
Observer
Juliet Chua (Department for Education (DfE))
Also in attendance
Head of Private Office and Corporate Governance
Jansy Kelly, Deputy Director, Social Care and Regulatory Practice (meeting item: safeguarding group update)
Principal Officer, Safeguarding (meeting item: safeguarding group update)
Executive support
Board Secretary
Corporate Governance Officer
Status
Approved at the Board meeting on 27 June 2024.
Welcome, apologies and declarations of interest
There were apologies from Martin Spencer.
Minutes, matters arising and action log
The minutes of the last board meeting were agreed as a correct record.
The board reviewed the actions log and noted that actions 4 (board role and responsibilities in relation to the budget) and 7 (draft finance committee terms of reference) were complete and would be shared with the board along with the scheme of delegation and corporate governance framework once review of these documents is complete.
Action: Board role and responsibilities in relation to budget and finance committee terms of reference to be shared with members.
HMCI and executive update
The executive was welcomed to the meeting.
The board received an update on all areas of Ofsted’s work since the last meeting, including HMCI priorities for the coming months and the appointment of Dame Christine Gilbert to lead an independent learning review into Ofsted’s response to the tragic death of Ruth Perry. Other topics discussed included, HMCI engagement with stakeholders, ministers and DfE senior officials. The board noted the good rate of progress made by HMCI and the executive on strategic matters, and their positive engagement with key stakeholders in recent weeks.
Big Listen update
As of 10 April, there were over 10,000 responses to the consultation.
Board members were asked to identify the Big Listen events they would like to attend.
Action: Director, Strategy and Engagement to provide a list of Big Listen events to board members for them to indicate where they would like to attend.
Finance update
Ofsted’s financial position at the end of period 11 was noted.
The year-end financial position will be subject to review by the National Audit Office (NAO) and Ernst & Young (EY), this audit will commence May 2024. EY conducted an interim audit of the financial statements in February 2024 and did not identify any issues.
Audit and Risk Assurance Committee update
At its meeting on 20 March the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee (ARAC) reviewed the draft internal audit plan for 2024-25, internal audit reports and the budget 2024-25.
ARAC agreed to the proposal to delay changes to the Ofsted Inspector (OI) operating model. DfE and HMT are aware of the risk. The risk and proposed timescale for implementing change was discussed at ARAC. HMCI and ARAC has agreed that this risk will be escalated to the strategic risk register.
Action: OI operating model risk to be escalated to the strategic risk register.
Safeguarding group update
The board received a briefing on the safeguarding group (SGG) and a presentation on 2 learning reviews.
The SGG exists to advise HMCI and the wider organisation in carrying out Ofsted’s statutory safeguarding responsibilities effectively across all remits.
It oversees internal safeguarding learning reviews co-commissioned by the Deputy HMCI (DHMCI) and the National Director (ND) for Regulation and Social Care/SGG chair and the National Director (ND) of Education.
AOB
There was no other business.
Private session
There was a private board session on ways of working.