Ofsted consults on complaints process for early years settings
Meredith Jones Russell
Wednesday, March 4, 2020
A new Ofsted consultation is asking practitioners for their views on how Ofsted handles complaints.
The consultation proposes reviews to the inspectorate’s current approach to the post-inspection period, including how Ofsted handles complaints about its work.
The proposals have been designed to improve the current arrangements in order to deal with any queries or concerns about an inspection quickly and before an inspection report is finalised.
They include:
- implementing new and consistent post-inspection timelines that will apply across all inspection remits
- allowing all inspected providers five working days to review their draft report and submit any comments about issues of factual accuracy and the inspection process for Ofsted to consider before finalising the report
- considering and responding to formal complaints from inspected providers before publishing their inspection report, if these complaints are submitted promptly
- retaining current arrangements for internal reviews into complaints handling, including the scrutiny panel
The responses will inform Ofsted’s new arrangements, which it plans to introduce from September 2020.
A report on the outcome of the consultation will be published on the Ofsted website before 8 May 2020.
- The consultation is available here until 31 March at 11:45pm.
