皇冠体育app

Present

Martin Spencer, Chair

Venessa Willms, Board member

Laura Wyld, Board member

James Aston, Co-opted member

Also in attendance

Amanda Spielman, Her Majesty鈥檚 Chief Inspector (HMCI), Accounting Officer

Matthew Coffey, Chief Operating Officer

Louise Grainger, Director, Finance, Planning and Commercial

Carol Hartley Burdett, GIAA

Ivan Cheary, GIAA

Colin Wilcox, NAO

Karren Murray, Mazars

Amelia Payton, Mazars

Apologies

Kathy August

Status

Approved

1. Chairman鈥檚 introduction, declarations of interest, minutes, actions and matters arising

Laura Wyld declared that she had joined the Ofqual Recovery Committee since the meeting of 17 September.

皇冠体育app minutes of the previous meeting were approved subject to one amendment.

Action: 皇冠体育app Chair requested that completed actions from the two previous meetings continue to be displayed on the action list.

2. Report from Chair and Members

皇冠体育app Committee shared experiences and insights from their external roles.

3. Report from HMCI

HMCI noted that there was still uncertainty as to what a potential return to inspection could look like in January, but the discussions with DfE continue.

HMCI had appeared before the Education Select Committee to discuss Ofsted鈥檚 response to the pandemic. HMCI explained that, beyond collecting some additional data from schools, Ofsted had done everything possible to support the sector and the wider Government effort.

皇冠体育app risks created through the support of Ofqual have been well managed but are not yet fully extinguished. A proposal has been put forward that would see HMCI鈥檚 involvement on the Ofqual Recovery Committee end on 31 December. 皇冠体育app proposal is contingent upon an appropriate interim Chief Regulator (ICR) being, appointed to succeed the current ICR.

HMCI intends to hold an introductory meeting with the shadow schools minister in the coming weeks.

4. Progress against Internal Audit recommendations

Committee members noted progress against Internal Audit recommendations, noting that outstanding recommendations were due for completion by the end of December.

5. Progress against Internal Audit plan

皇冠体育app Committee noted that there had been no change to the internal audit plan since they last met in September.

GIAA affirmed their commitment to completing the 2020-21 plan and presenting planned reports in time for the Committee鈥檚 March meeting.

皇冠体育app Committee thanked GIAA for sharing insight into their cross-government work and noted the intention to share further updates at future meetings.

Action: A tailored review of GIAA will be shared with the Committee, upon its completion.

6. Internal audit reports

皇冠体育app Committee considered the internal audit report on Ofsted鈥檚 鈥渃ore financial controls鈥�. 皇冠体育app Committee noted the moderate assurance rating and were assured that the Director Finance, Planning and Commercial had already taken steps towards implementing the recommendations in full by December.

皇冠体育app Committee noted that the internal audit of 鈥渕anagement of investments in improvements to digital services鈥� had provided substantial assurance.

In both audits GIAA鈥檚 recommendations had been fully accepted by management.

7. Internal Audit performance

皇冠体育app Committee considered the results of a survey assessing the level of service provided by GIAA, with a view to advising HMCI on whether to extend the existing internal audit arrangement.

皇冠体育app Committee noted that it would be helpful for GIAA to bring through insight from their wider work, providing more effective comparisons with and practice across government. GIAA confirmed that their work across government departments was underway and that this insight should be more apparent in next year鈥檚 plan.

皇冠体育app Committee confirmed that they were content with the proposal to extend GIAA鈥檚 contract by a further year and noted that HMCI would make a formal decision to that effect shortly.

8. External Audit plan

皇冠体育app Committee reviewed the external audit plan submitted by NAO and Mazars.

Action: 皇冠体育app Committee asked that NAO and Mazars make more explicit the timelines contained within the planning report, noting that further discussion of the planning report would be welcome.

皇冠体育app Committee welcomed NAO鈥檚 scrutiny on the use of funds to support the wider Government response to the Covid-19 pandemic and looked forward to seeing how Ofsted鈥檚 approach compared with other departments.

9. External Audit update 鈥� Value for money

皇冠体育app Committee noted the NAO鈥檚 update on upcoming value for money studies.

10. ARA timetable 鈥� 2020-21

皇冠体育app Committee endorsed the high-level timeline for and proposed approach towards completing the 2020-21 ARA, noting that many of the staff who worked on last year鈥檚 report remained in place.

11. Risk report

皇冠体育app Committee discussed work planned to assess the effectiveness of remote learning. Committee members advised the executive to consider whether any of the strategic risks need to be amended to take account of this work.

皇冠体育app Committee also discussed the opportunities available to further strengthen relationships across government with a view to maintaining the stability of our reputation.

12. Finance report

皇冠体育app Committee noted the financial position. 皇冠体育app Director Finance, Planning and Commercial informed the Committee that the option of utilising a budget exchange, as per HMT guidance, was under consideration. 皇冠体育app Committee were supportive of this course of action.

皇冠体育app outcome of the current spending review has yet to be determined. Board members will be contacted and informed of the outcome once received.

13. AOB

No further business was raised.

End of meeting

皇冠体育app next Audit and Risk Assurance Committee meeting will take place at 10.30am on 27 January 2021.