Ofsted extends ability to pause complaints to social care and early years providers

Plans to pause inspections in state schools only were announced in January alongside changes to Ofsted’s complaints procedures following the suicide of headteacher Ruth Perry last year.

However, amended policy announced last week (5 April) lays out “the steps inspectors will take when it is necessary to pause activity during childcare, education and social care inspections and regulatory visits”.

• Inspections clinic: Children’s services leadership

• Interview: Lord Jim Knight, chair of an independent review of Ofsted

The guidance published by Ofsted adds that “under exceptional circumstances, Ofsted may agree to formally pause an inspection, for example, when leaders require support due to concerns about their wellbeing, or an incident prevents inspectors from gathering sufficient evidence”.

The policy also sets out that the length of pauses “will vary on a case-by-case basis but, in most circumstances, the inspection should resume on the next working day or at the earliest opportunity”.

It adds that if an inspection does not resume after a set period - listed in an annex to the policy document – “it will be deemed incomplete and inspectors will return to gather additional evidence at a later date”.

This period is set at between five and 15 days for local authority children’s services inspections and Cafcass inspections.

A period of 15 days applies for joint targeted area inspections and for inspections of special educational needs and disabilities services while early years providers are entitled to a five-day pause.

Ofsted’s chief inspector Martyn Oliver said: “We introduced a new ‘pausing policy’ in January for state schools, but today are going further to clarify the steps we’ll take when circumstances mean we have to pause the inspection of any school, further education, early years or social care provider.

“This includes occasions when leaders require support because of concerns about their well-being.”

Ofsted’s new complaints process also allows providers to seek a review of their inspection – including the conduct of inspectors and the judgments reached – by submitting a formal complaint when they receive their draft inspection report.

If a provider remains dissatisfied with Ofsted’s response to their formal complaint, they will now be able to directly escalate it to the Independent Complaints Adjudication Service for Ofsted (ICASO).

Ofsted has also committed to periodically submit a sample of closed complaints to a panel for review. The panel will include external representatives from the sectors Ofsted inspects and “will provide challenge and transparency on how complaints have been handled”, according to the guidance.

Ofsted has also announced that it has appointed its former chief inspector to lead an independent inquiry into its Perry’s death.

Gilbert, who acted as chief inspector between 2006 and 2011, will start her review this month, looking into:

• the actions Ofsted took in response to hearing about the death of Perry.

• Ofsted’s communications, its engagement with stakeholders and information-sharing within Ofsted following her death.

• the support Ofsted offered internally to staff, including inspectors, and how its approach was informed by clearly defined policies.

She will produce a written report on her findings later this year including any recommendations for changes to Ofsted’s internal policies and processes.