Ofsted has rejected calls to separate safeguarding from its main inspection framework and instead conduct yearly audits.
It comes after headteachers suggested it should “decouple” safeguarding from other aspects of school inspections so that safety measures were checked more frequently.
But during a women and equalities committee hearing on attitudes to girls and women in schools and other educational settings, the inspectorate stressed other aspects of inspections fed into safeguarding.
“We are absolutely passionate that you can’t disaggregate safeguarding from the culture and leadership of the school,” said Yvette Stanley, national director for social care.
