Consultation outcome

Equality, diversity and inclusion statement

Updated 24 June 2020

Applies to England

Introduction

This document sets out Ofsted’s consideration of how the proposed new initial teacher education (ITE) inspection framework 2020 will enable us to fulfil the requirements of the Equality Act 2010, including the public sector equality duty (PSED) set out in section 149 of the Equality Act 2010.

The PSED requires Ofsted, when exercising all our functions, including those of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector under section 18B of the Education Act 1994 and the Education and Inspections Act 2006, to have due regard to the need to:

• eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct that is prohibited by or under the Equality Act 2010
• advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it
• foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it

We are publishing this document as part of the consultation on the ‘Framework for initial teacher education inspections 2020: inspecting the quality of teacher education’. This document sets out our assessment of the equality, diversity and inclusion implications prior to consultation. Consultation comments received that raise matters related to equality, diversity and inclusion will be considered and may result in changes to the draft framework. We will reflect any comments received on this document in our published consultation response, and may publish a revised version of this equality, diversity and inclusion statement. A final version of the ITE framework and handbook will be published alongside the consultation response.

ITE inspection framework 2020

The ITE inspection framework 2020 will replace the current inspection framework that has been in place since 2012. The new framework and handbook will set out the criteria against which all ITE partnerships will be inspected.

We propose that the ITE framework 2020 will include two key judgement areas for all ITE partnerships:

• quality of education and training
• leadership and management

In addition to these, we propose to keep the overall effectiveness judgement.

How will the proposed ITE inspection framework impact on those with protected characteristics and the three PSED aims?

We have considered how the proposed framework, handbook and consequent inspection practice could have an impact on individuals or groups of people with protected characteristics. We have also considered whether the proposals meet the three PSED aims.

Our intention is to ensure that inspection is able to play its part in advancing equality, diversity and inclusion. Given the focus of the proposed framework on high-quality education and training for trainee teachers, we believe that it will have a positive impact on trainees, and, subsequently, the learners who they will go on to teach as newly qualified teachers, including those with protected characteristics. When inspecting under the new framework, inspectors will consider all of the protected characteristics, to ensure that the ITE partnership is promoting equality and diversity and eliminating discrimination. The protected characteristics include the following:

• age
• disability
• gender reassignment
• pregnancy and maternity
• race
• religion or belief
• sex
• sexual orientation
• marriage and civil partnerships

Eliminating discrimination and advancing equality of opportunity

The new draft ITE framework is intended to contribute to these aspects of the duty in the following ways .

Our framework makes clear that there is an expectation that all trainee teachers are entitled to receive high-quality, ambitious education and training. This should be the case for all individuals, including those with protected characteristics. For this reason in particular, we consider that all protected characteristics are relevant considerations of our new framework. As part of the initial evidence-gathering process, inspectors will ask for evidence from the ITE partnership that demonstrates how it promotes equality and diversity.

The leadership and management judgement in the proposed framework includes criteria that emphasises the importance for an ITE partnership to ensure that the training respects and teaches knowledge and application of the Equality Act 2010.

We have set out in our proposed framework the need for inspectors to establish the extent to which trainee teachers are prepared to be able to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Rather than assessing SEND as a stand-alone strand or focus of inspection, we have made clear within our proposed framework that SEND must be appropriately woven in and meaningfully integrated throughout any ITE curriculum that is provided to trainee teachers. This is in addition to the criteria that promotes high-quality training for trainees with SEND.

Monitoring and evaluation

We do not anticipate that the current proposals of the ITE framework will have a disproportionate impact on individuals or groups who share protected characteristics, although we recognise that there may be areas that are impacted on. We consider that we have given full and appropriate consideration to all elements of the PSED. The intention of the proposals is to ensure that Ofsted is able to comply with our legal duties to advance equality, diversity and inclusion.

There is ongoing engagement and consultation on these proposals with stakeholders and with the public. The consultation process provides the opportunity for all stakeholders to raise any concerns they may have in relation to equality, diversity and inclusion. This statement may need to be revised in the light of any responses received. If revised, it will be re-published with our report on the outcome of the consultation.

We routinely gather and publish data about our inspection outcomes. Through this process, we will be able to monitor and evaluate whether any particular group is affected negatively once the new ITE framework is implemented.