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Ofsted: Finance

Volume 494: debated on Tuesday 16 June 2009

To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) how much and what proportion of Ofsted’s budget was used to fund the inspection of schools in the last 12 months for which figures are available; (278406)

(2) what budget Ofsted has set for each of its divisions and directorates for 2009-10.

These are matters for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert, has written to the hon. Member and copies of her replies have been placed in the House Libraries.

Letter from Christine Gilbert, dated 10 June 2009:

Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, for a response.

Table A shows Ofsted’s expenditure on the inspection of schools for the 12 month period from April 2008 to March 2009, as well as its proportion of Ofsted’s total gross expenditure.

Table A: Ofsteds expenditure on schools inspection, April 2008-March 2009

Expenditure (£ million)

Total expenditure on school inspections carried out under Section 5 of the Education Act 2005

57.5

Total expenditure on school inspections carried out under Section 8 of the Education Act 2005

8.4

Total expenditure on education surveys

3.1

Total expenditure on the inspection of maintained schools

69.0

Ofsted total gross expenditure

222.0

Proportion of Ofsted’s expenditure spent on the inspection of maintained schools (percentage)

31.1

The total gross expenditure is derived from Ofsted’s draft resource accounts for 2008-09, presented to parliament on 9 June. We have used information from this analysis to complete the table.

Inspections carried out under Section 5 of the Education Act 2005 represent the routine programme of inspections of maintained schools. Inspections carried out under Section 8 of the Education Act 2005 represent additional monitoring visits for maintained schools judged to be in a category of concern. Ofsted also undertakes inspection activity in schools as part of its programme of surveys, and the gross expenditure relating to this work is included. The figures set out represent the full cost of inspection activity and include direct, indirect and overhead costs.

A copy of this reply has been sent to Vernon Coaker MP, Minister of State for Schools and Learners, and will be placed in the Library of both Houses.

Letter from Christine Gilbert, dated 9 June 2009:

Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, for a response.

Table A shows the gross revenue budget for each directorate or area of Ofsted’s work for the financial year 2009-10.

Table A: Gross revenue budget by Ofsted Directorate/area of work, 2009-10

Directorate/area of work

£ (million)

Children directorate

69.4

Education directorate

69.7

Learning and skills directorate

15.6

Corporate services directorate

37.8

Finance, procurement and property directorate

8.2

Non-recurrent transitional costs to achieve savings targets

11.8

Capital

1.0

DUP

2.0

Total

215.5

Ofsted is currently undergoing an internal restructure and, from September 2009, a different directorate structure from that outlined will take effect.

A copy of this reply has been sent to Vernon Coaker MP, Minister of State for Schools and Learners, and will be placed in the Library of both Houses.