Regulatory Bodies

4.3 Explain the roles of regulatory bodies relevant to the education sector which exist to monitor and enforce the legislative framework

As well as local and national government schools are answerable to regulative bodies and these include, the schools governing body, the health and safety executive and OFSTED. All of whom exist to monitor and enforce legislation.

The schools governing body is built up from differing members of the school community, including school management, parents, teaching and non-teaching staff, members from the wider school community and general public. They are responsible for setting the general direction/ethos the school should be developing and reviewing and monitoring that aims and objectives are being met. It should have a good relationship with its head teacher and both should be accountable to parents, pupils, staff and the wider community. The governing body of a school is responsible for its conduct and educational achievement which also means they are responsible for standards including staffing, policies, performance management, finance, discipline, curriculum, any areas of SEN> In order to do so meets regularly and evaluates, sets standards and reports to parents. There are many policies that schools have to adhere to and the schools governing body is responsible for reviewing these at least annually. The policies will include:
Child protection
Attendance
Behaviour
Staff discipline and behaviour
Pupil discipline
Risk assessments
Ofsted’s report
Prospectus of the school
Data protection
Home/school relationships.

Another regulatory body that enforces policies are the Health and Safety Executive. Every school or educational establishment must have their own Health and safety policy with guidelines set by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) who are a government body. School Health and Safety policies should contain details of what schools are responsible for whilst children are in their care and this will include school trips etc., I
If there is an accident or incident whilst a child is at school it helps staff to follow correct procedure and also protects them from any comeback if the schools procedure is followed correctly. Parents are fully entitled to request a copy of the schools health and safety policy (and any other school policies) and if by reading the policy they have questions or concerns they can contact the HSE directly.
Ofsted (Office for standards in education, Children’s services and skills) are a very important regularotory body and report directly to parliament. They carry out inspections and regulatory visits throughout educational establishments, and provide a report. Which should be able to be viewed on the schools website. Ofsted work to government legislation and have statutory guidance which is based upon safeguarding children and safer recruitment.
Ofsted inspectors will be looking to collect first hand evidence on good practice and will be observing to collect information in order to make a professional judgement on the school and their ethos in order to publish their report. They will also collect information from pupils and parents in order to make this report well rounded. They will be looking at school policies and procedures, provision of the national curriculum, social care, different ion, leadership, communication etc.,
Ofsted can rate a school ranging from outstanding to placing a school in special measures. Its aim would be for all schools to be outstanding, although in reality that is not going to happen, if a school is placed in special measures or indeed gets good rather than outstanding Ofsted will work with the school to help it tighten its policies, procedures and practice with the aim of the school improving and giving good outcomes fro all.