Alternative provision (AP) leaders have criticised Ofsted for “ignoring” them in its major consultation on the future of inspection.

Ofsted’s Big Listen, which launched on Friday, asks professionals which settings they work in but does not include an option for those working in AP, pupil referral units (PRUs) or hospital schools among the 23 choices provided.

Sarah Johnson, president of the National Organisation of Pupil Referral Units and Alternative Provision (PRUsAP), described this as a “worrying oversight” and warned that voices from the sector could be lost to the process as a result.

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Ms Johnson said: “There are two things that could happen as a result of this: firstly the voices of people working in PRUs, AP and hospital schools might not be recorded as such, will not be grouped together - and so Ofsted is not able to analyse responses or identify issues coming from AP - this information will be lost.

“The second is that people will see that this survey doesn’t have an option for them and decide not to bother at all.”

Ofsted has said that the Big Listen includes a set of questions specifically aimed at gauging views on special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and alternative provision.

These include sections on its reporting, impact, inspection impact and culture.

In line with the rest of the Big Listen questions, these ask participants to rank various aspects of inspection by importance.

But Ms Johnson has asked PRUsAP members to hold off from taking part in the Big Listen until Ofsted provides an AP option in its list of settings.

In a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), she described the omission as being “beyond worrisome” and added: “It feels deliberate. It feels like our sector has been ignored and I’m astonished. I truly am.”

Speaking to Tes, she said: “I have asked members not to fill the survey in until this is rectified, but the fact that it happened is a worrying oversight.

“Somebody will have sense-checked this list and not even noticed that APs, PRUs and hospital schools are missing. The concern is that we are not in their thinking.”

Inspector experience in AP or PRUs

In November last year, PRUsAP surveyed its members to gauge their experiences of Ofsted inspection.

As part of this, PRUsAP members were asked if Ofsted inspectors who visited their setting had experience working in an AP or a PRU.

Some 23 respondents said the inspection team had no AP or PRU experience in any role, 11 said that at least one inspector had leadership experience and 13 said at least one inspector had teaching experience in an AP or PRU.

Ofsted’s Big Listen

The Big Listen was launched by Ofsted chief inspector Sir Martyn Oliver on Friday last week at the Association of School and College Leaders’ annual conference in Liverpool.

The survey seeks views from the public and from professionals working in the sectors that Ofsted inspects on the future of its work.

As part of the Big Listen, the watchdog has also asked for views on a proposal to withhold issuing a judgement for three months on schools that are set to fail an inspection on safeguarding alone, following concerns raised over the death of headteacher Ruth Perry.

An Ofsted spokesperson said: “On the online consultation, the options for type of education setting are quite general, based on whether a provider is maintained, part of an academy or independent, rather than listing every different type of setting within those categories. Most providers fall into one of the designated categories, and for the few that don’t there is an ‘other’ category with the option to specify the provider type.

“We are keen to hear from professionals in every type of setting. In fact, AP and SEND have a tailor-made questionnaire to address the issues particularly pertinent to them.”

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