Education and Inspections Act 2006

Functions: the Office

116 Functions of the Office

(1) The Office has the following functions—

(a) to determine strategic priorities for the Chief Inspector in connection with the performance of his functions;

(b) to determine strategic objectives and targets relating to such priorities; and

(c) to secure that the Chief Inspector’s functions are performed efficiently and effectively.

(2) The Office is to have such other functions in connection with the performance of the Chief Inspector’s functions as may be assigned to it by the Secretary of State.

117 Performance of Office’s functions

(1) The Office is to perform its functions for the general purpose of encouraging—

(a) the improvement of activities within the Chief Inspector’s remit,

(b) the carrying on of such activities as user-focused activities, and

(c) the efficient and effective use of resources in the carrying on of such activities.

(2) In performing its functions the Office is to have regard to—

(a) the need to safeguard and promote the rights and welfare of children;

(b) views expressed by relevant persons about activities within the Chief Inspector’s remit;

(c) levels of satisfaction with such activities on the part of relevant persons;

(d) the need to promote the efficient and effective use of resources in the carrying on of such activities;

(e) the need to ensure that action by the Chief Inspector in relation to such activities is proportionate to the risks against which it would afford safeguards;

(f) any developments in approaches to inspection or regulatory action; and

(g) best practice amongst persons performing functions comparable to those of the Chief Inspector.

(3) In performing its functions the Office must also have regard to such aspects of government policy as the Secretary of State may direct.

(4) In this section—

(a) “children” means persons under the age of 18;

(b) “relevant persons”, in relation to activities within the Chief Inspector’s remit, means persons who have an interest in such activities, whether—

(i) as persons for whose benefit they are carried on, or

(ii) as parents (if they are carried on for the benefit of children), or

(iii) as employers;

(c) “parents” includes persons—

(i) who are not parents of children but have parental responsibility for them (within the meaning of the Children Act 1989 (c. 41)), or

(ii) who have care of children.

(5) Subsection (6) provides for the interpretation, for the purposes of this Part, of references to activities within the Chief Inspector’s remit and related expressions.

(6) For those purposes—

(a) “activities” includes—

(i) the provision of any form of education, training or care,

(ii) the provision of any form of services or facilities, and

(iii) the performance of any function;

(b) activities are within the Chief Inspector’s remit—

(i) if he exercises any inspection function in relation to them, or

(ii) if they are services of the kind provided by persons in respect of whom he is the registration authority by virtue of any enactment; and

(c) references to persons for whose benefit activities are carried on are, in relation to activities within paragraph (a)(i) or (ii), references to persons for whom the education, training or care is provided, or (as the case may be) for whom the services or facilities are provided.