Ofsted is consulting on “significant” changes to the way it handles complaints after admitting that its current approach is not satisfying schools.
Under the changes being proposed, the watchdog’s current three-step complaints process would be replaced by a system that would allow schools to complain formally and to an independent adjudicator more quickly.
Schools that have immediate concerns about an inspection would also be given a new opportunity to raise concerns with a separate Ofsted HMI the day after an inspection if they are unhappy with how it has gone.
The consultation has been launched alongside a major announcement from the inspectorate about how it plans to change its work in response to the strength of feeling shown in the sector following the death of headteacher Ruth Perry.
Last week Tes revealed concerns that Ofsted’s refusal to disclose its inspectors’ evidence in seven in 10 cases when schools requested it under the Freedom of Information Act was undermining schools’ abilities to launch complaints.
Ofsted has published new proposals today following a pilot project on changing its complaints process.
Changes to Ofsted’s complaints process
Its key proposals are:
1. New routes to start a formal challenge of a report
Ofsted is proposing two new routes that schools can use if they are unhappy with the findings when they receive their draft inspection report.
If schools want to highlight “some minor points of clarity or factual accuracy”, Ofsted has said it will “consider these promptly and finalise the report”. It adds: “We expect the vast majority of providers to follow this route.”
If schools choose this route, they will not normally have a later opportunity to raise a formal complaint or challenge, the watchdog says.
But if schools want to seek a review of the inspection findings and judgements, they can submit a formal complaint straight away.
This would signal a change from the current system, which currently involves all schools having to make an informal complaint first of all before moving to a second formal complaint stage.
Under the proposed process, once a formal complaint is submitted, Ofsted will select a member of Ofsted staff independent of the inspection to investigate the challenge. It is proposing that this investigation would include a telephone call to the provider to explore their concerns fully.
Ofsted says the outcome of an investigation could be an inspection “being deemed to be incomplete and confirmation that there will be a further visit to gather additional evidence”; changes to the grade, including the overall effectiveness grade; changes to the report’s text; or no changes at all.
2. Removing internal review from the complaints process
Ofsted is also proposing to remove the current internal review, which is the third step in its complaints process.
This is a review by Ofsted staff of how it handled the original complaint. It does not include a further investigation of the issues raised.
Under the current process, complainants need to go through this step before they can contact the Independent Complaints Adjudication Service for Ofsted (ICASO) to ask for an independent review of how their complaint was handled.
Ofsted is instead suggesting that if complainants are concerned that it has not correctly followed its complaints-handling process, they can raise this directly with ICASO. The inspectorate says this will reduce the burden on schools raising complaints.
Ofsted will also introduce periodic reviews of how it has handled complaints. It will take a sample of closed complaints about inspections and submit them to a panel of external reviewers.
3. Opportunity for schools to contact a different Ofsted inspector
Under new plans, the inspectorate says schools would be able to contact Ofsted on the day after the end of an inspection visit to discuss any unresolved issues.
These calls would be directed to an inspector that is relevant to the type of inspection but not part of the team that carried out the visit.
Ofsted says this call could involve schools raising informal concerns about the inspection process and its likely outcome; querying what happens next; or highlighting information that they feel was “not fully considered during the inspection.”
4. Improve on-site dialogue during inspection
Ofsted says that inspectors already “routinely check” with schools throughout the inspection whether they have any queries or concerns.
But it is now proposing making this a more formal process by asking inspectors to check with providers at a few specific stages of the inspection visit.
These are during the pre-inspection notification call or when an inspector arrives on site, at end-of-day meetings and at the final feedback session.
The watchdog’s consultation document says this will allow inspectors to address any issues schools raise at the time.
The closing date for this consultation is Friday 15 September 2023.
Earlier this year Ofsted chief inspector Amanda Spielman admitted to headteachers that the current complaints process was not satisfying schools.
