Commentary on Sections Part 10: Schools Chapter 3: Inspections Section 225: Interim statements
713.This section inserts three new sections into the Education Act 2005 in relation to the powers of the Chief Inspector and associated duties of schools.
714.Section 10A enables the Chief Inspector to publish an interim statement (which it is expected will be commonly known as a “health check”) where the Chief Inspector considers that a school’s performance is such that it is appropriate to defer a routine inspection of the school for at least a year. The statement must set out the Chief Inspector’s opinion that inspection can be deferred and the reasons for that opinion. It is made on the basis of information available at the time and does not prevent the Chief Inspector from inspecting the school at any time if this is deemed necessary in light of changed circumstances. As its name indicates, the statement is only an interim measure. It cannot be used to defer an inspection beyond the end of the maximum period allowed between scheduled inspections.
715.Section 14A applies in cases where the Chief Inspector makes an interim statement about a community, foundation or voluntary school, a community or foundation special school, or a maintained nursery school. Subsections (1) to (3) of 14A require the Chief Inspector to send a copy of the interim statement to the appropriate authority of the school (either the governing body or the local education authority) and to other specified people. Subsection (4) of section 14A requires the appropriate authority of the school to make the statement available to members of the public and to take steps to ensure a copy of the statement is received by parents within a prescribed period.
716.Section 16A broadly mirrors the provisions in section 14A but applies to Academies; city technology colleges; city colleges for the technology of the arts; and special schools which are not community or foundation special schools but are for the time being approved by the Secretary of State under section 342 of the Education Act 1996. Under section 16A, the Chief Inspector must send a copy of the interim statement to the school’s proprietor and others.