Part 8Inspections

Chapter 3Inspection of Further Education and Training etc.

Inspection

128Area inspections

(1)

If requested to do so by the Secretary of State, the Chief Inspector must inspect—

(a)

the quality and availability of a specified description of education or training, in a specified area in England, for persons who are aged 15 or over but under 19;

(b)

the standards achieved by those receiving that education or training; and

(c)

whether the financial resources made available to those providing that education and training are managed efficiently and used in a way which provides value for money.

(2)

The Chief Inspector may conduct such an inspection without being requested to do so.

(3)

Subsection (4) applies if financial resources have been applied by—

F1(a)

the F2Secretary of State,

(aa)

F3... or

(b)

a F4local authority in England,

in respect of education or training which is being inspected under this section.

(4)

In such a case the inspection may extend to considering whether the application of those resources in that way—

(a)

constituted an efficient and effective use of the resources for the purpose of meeting the needs of persons within subsection (1)(a) as regards education or training of the kind in question, and

(b)

was appropriate to secure value for money.

(5)

The education or training that may be made the subject of an inspection under this section (“an area inspection”) is—

(a)

any education or training to which this Chapter applies, or

(b)

any other education or training within the scope of the Chief Inspector's functions.

(6)

A provider of education or training which is the subject of an area inspection must provide the Chief Inspector with any information reasonably requested by him in connection with the inspection.

(7)

Any F5local authority in England whose area is wholly or partly within the area which is the subject of an area inspection must provide the Chief Inspector with any information reasonably requested by him in connection with the inspection.

(8)

In subsection (1)(a) the reference to persons who are aged 15 includes persons—

(a)

for whom education is being provided at a school, and

(b)

who will attain that age in the current school year;

and for this purpose “school” and “school year” have the same meanings as in EA 1996.