Open consultation

The Big Listen: equalities impact assessment

Updated 17 April 2024

Applies to England

Introduction

This equalities impact assessment sets out how the Big Listen 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 its functions, 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 statement as part of our consultation on:

• how we should carry out and report on our inspections
• our impact on the lives of children and learners, and on practitioners in the sectors we work with
• our culture and approach as an organisation

This statement sets out how we have considered the equality implications of this consultation  and any resulting proposed changes.  

We will consider any consultation responses that raise matters related to equality.  We will reflect any comments received in our published consultation response, and may publish a revised version of this statement.  

Consultation

The consultation asks for comments on everything we do. It is primarily a listening exercise to allow parents and carers, children and learners, early years educators, education and children’s social care practitioners and professionals, policymakers and researchers, and the wider public, to offer their views on Ofsted. This includes the way we report, our inspection practices, and our impact on providers, practitioners and children and on learners’ outcomes. We also ask for comments on possible options for inspecting safeguarding in schools.

How the consultation may affect people in terms of protected characteristics and how they meet the 3 PSED aims

We have considered how our consultation could have an impact on individuals or groups of people in terms of the protected characteristics. We have also considered whether it meets the 3 PSED aims.

The protected characteristics are:

• 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

We will take care to gather the views of a wide range of stakeholders. We will also engage stakeholders through other consultation exercises and research, for example focus groups and other events. We want to hear stakeholders’ views on the equality implications of the way we inspect and report. We will take account of these when formulating future proposals.

We are asking for people’s views on how to improve our inspections. We have asked for views on some of our aims and ambitions for our practice and options for how we inspect safeguarding. However, our priority in this consultation is to hear from our stakeholders before we confirm our proposals. This consultation encompasses all of Ofsted’s inspection and regulatory activity across all of our remits. Its purpose is to understand people’s views and use them to improve our work. We will also make sure that we fully consider the equality implications of any changes we propose as a result of this consultation. Any significant changes that result from the Big Listen will require a separate consultation and further equality impact assessment.

We are also consulting on options for how we report on safeguarding in schools. We are asking for views on changes to practices already in place, as set out in our response to the Prevention of Future Deaths report following the tragic death of Ruth Perry. We are also asking for views on how we could change reporting on safeguarding in future, but we are not committing to making any changes at present. We want to hear the views of stakeholders before we take further steps.

We have stated firmly throughout that our priority is to improve outcomes for disadvantaged and vulnerable children and learners. We want to hear views on how we can improve our work to advance equality of opportunity. We want to ensure that everything we do as a result of the Big Listen only has positive consequences for those with protected characteristics, as well as for disadvantaged and vulnerable groups, such as socio-economically disadvantaged children and children in care.

Fostering good relations

We do not believe that this consultation exercise will adversely affect Ofsted’s ability to have due regard to fostering good relations during inspections.

The Big Listen is all about fostering good relations with our wide range of stakeholders. It is about asking for and encouraging views from everyone who is interested in or affected by our work.

Monitoring and evaluation

We consider that we have fully and appropriately considered all elements of the PSED. The consultation process on the proposed new arrangements provides an opportunity for all stakeholders to raise any concerns they may have about the impact on equality of our work. We may revise this statement in the light of any responses we receive. If we revise it, we will republish it with our report on the outcome of the consultation. When we consult on future proposals, we will develop a separate statement in relation to the equality implications of those proposals.