Lords questions head of Ofsted on social mobility for school leavers
The House of Lords Select Committee on Social Mobility will have the opportunity to explore the role of Ofsted, when it questions Sir Michael Wilshaw, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills at Ofsted, on Wednesday 11 November, in the next evidence session of its ongoing inquiry.
Sir Michael's appearance comes a month after the publication of Ofsted's report on apprenticeships, which found that the quality of apprenticeships was ‘variable and poor', when Sir Michael said, "despite the increase in numbers, very few apprenticeships are delivering the professional, up-to-date skills in the sectors that need them most."
The Committee will explore apprenticeships, and a number of other issues with Sir Michael, including:
- whether he believes Ofsted should have a greater role in improving employment opportunities and social mobility for under-served groups and middle attainers, and who should have overall responsibility for guiding young people through the transition from education to employment;
- how he thinks the inspection process could be used to consider what leads to high vocational provision, as well as the academic excellence it already examines;
- who should be responsible for the accurate recording of data on young people, for analysing it, and for ensuring it is used to help improve outcomes for them;
- what he believes to be the features of good-quality work experience, and whether this should be assessed in inspections; and
- following Ofsted's report on apprenticeships last month, his thoughts on what he believes makes a good quality apprenticeship.
Following on, at 11.35am, the Committee will speak to:
- Dawn Baxendale, Chief Executive of Southampton Council;
- Yolande Burgess, Strategy Director of London Councils;
- Theresa Grant, Chief Executive of Trafford Council; and
- Andrew Hodgson, Vice Chair of the North East Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEP) Board, and North East LEP Employment and Skills Board.
The Committee will use the session to investigate issues relating to the role of local leadership, such as how local authorities, combined authorities and LEPs used their powers to provide skills and employment opportunities for under-served groups of young people; how they think local authorities, employers, schools and colleges can work together to provide a coherent system to support young people in the transition from school to work; who they think should be responsible for helping young people, particularly disadvantaged groups, through this transition; and how the data available at the moment on young learners helps practitioners working directly with them.
The evidence sessions will start from 10.35am on Wednesday 11 November in Committee Room 4A of the House of Lords.
