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Learners were represented by a wide range of organisations. Humber Apprentice Panel facilitator, Dave Thompson, said, ‘The learner voice is essential to improve all aspects of learning for the better.’ He saw working with Ofsted as a way of making that voice heard. ‘It’s vital the Humber Apprentice Panel assist Ofsted in re-developing inspections for work-based learning providers. In the majority of cases apprentices are based miles away from their training provider and at the present moment Ofsted can only approach in-house apprentices,’ he commented. ‘We’re currently discussing how we can capture the apprentice voice, maybe by developing an Ofsted communication tool via the web although we have to consider apprentices who have no internet access.’

Chair of the same panel, Chris Roberts said, ‘It’s important we understand that Ofsted inspectors are there to support improvement for the provider and especially for the learner, and not to catch them out. I think we can make a difference to how Ofsted inspections are portrayed through promotions such as Ofsted’s posters. And look at the different ways in which we can capture the learner voice such as one-to-one confidential interviews with learners, maybe having learners show Ofsted inspectors around work-based providers, schools and colleges.’

Nick Hagan represented the Edge Learner Forum and said he felt that ‘Ofsted is making a concerted effort to come to terms with developments in the social and educational spectrum, particularly with regard to the learner voice, and the openness and transparency of the consultation was largely indicative of this. By working alongside bodies such as the Edge Learner Forum, Ofsted is taking a significant step towards inspections becoming more accessible to students, and towards the acknowledgment of young people’s own points of view being indispensable to the future of educational faculties.’

For Sue Hinde, who was a member of the National Learner Panel in 2007/08, ‘Ofsted is not just a talking shop about involving learners – I think they are involving learners. At the seminar we were encouraged and enabled to come up with our own ideas on inspection as well as providing a learner perspective on Ofsted’s ideas.’

HAP will continue to assist Ofsted by attending future learner voice seminars to continue to give the views of Apprentices in the Humber Sub Region. If you are an Apprentices from the Sub-Region who would like to input into any future Learner Voice Seminar, please contact Dave Thompson on (01482) 638508 or e-mail dave@cflhumber.org.uk