This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert, has written to my hon. Friend and a copy of her reply has been placed in the House Libraries.
Letter from Christine Gilbert, dated 2 April 2009:
Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, for a response.
Ofsted recognises that inspecting provision and outcomes for deaf or hearing impaired pupils requires particular specialist knowledge and skills with regard to issues such as language development, communication methods, and acoustic conditions.
You asked how Ofsted ensured that its inspectors had adequate levels of training and expertise in education for the deaf and communication with deaf children. Ofsted has a small core team of four Her Majesty's Inspectors (HMI) who are specialists in the inspection of sensory impairment who are routinely deployed in the inspection of schools for deaf and hearing impaired pupils. Ofsted also requires our contracted Regional Inspection Service Providers to provide inspectors who are suitable for each individual inspection. Every effort is made to inspect special schools with inspectors who have expertise in that particular field. Where there is specific provision for pupils with SEN in mainstream schools, then every effort is made to provide the inspection team with an inspector with expertise in the particular field of SEN provided by the school. Training on inspecting special educational needs (SEN) in mainstream schools, special schools and pupil referral units was provided for HMI and Additional Inspectors (AI) during 2008, and is being updated for the coming year. All inspectors have access to extensive guidance available to support this area of work.
In February 2009, Ofsted announced that it has agreed three new contracts with contractors for the provision of inspection from September 2009. These contracts will cover all the inspection remits in schools and colleges, apprenticeships, adult skills and initial teacher education. The procurement process for the new contracts has provided the opportunity for Ofsted to renew the commitment of its contractors to deploy appropriately skilled and specialist additional inspectors for each school's context, including those with deaf children.
Ofsted is also working with the Department for Children, Schools and Families to ensure the availability to inspectors of better performance data for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, including children who are deaf and/or hearing impaired. In particular, we are seeking to provide performance data for individual pupils who have specific learning difficulties and/or disabilities, in order to measure more rigorously their progress and achievement.
You also asked whether inspectors are accompanied by a skilled interpreter. It is necessary for inspectors to be able to communicate effectively with deaf and hearing impaired pupils: this may require competence in British Sign Language or other methods of communication, or use of a skilled interpreter. Ofsted is reviewing these requirements for the new inspection arrangements for September, including the requirement to have an interpreter on inspection.
A copy of this reply has been sent to Rt Hon Jim Knight MP, Minister of State for Schools and Learners, and will be placed in the library of both Houses.