The school has to be approved of course, which OFT is. For this approval the requirements are:
A HOT (they have one)
An approved CGI (got one of those too!)
An quality manual, and a theoretical training manual (They are Cabair, so they use the same approved documents)
The CAA requires notification of all instructors that will deliver the theoretical knowledge, but they cannot actually approve or deny the suitability of an instructor. This is the CGI's responsibility to deem them suitably trained for the task. The notification is however, not a JAA requirement, so the CAA cannot enforce the notification process of instructors used. But the CGI and HOT do have to prove that instructors are trained, deemed suitable to solo in class, and are periodically checked for competence, knowledge, and instructional technique.
Instructors are sampled without prior notice of who or when, during CAA inspections. They can then deem the lecturer as either satisfactory or unsatisfactory. All sampled instructors at OFT have been found to be satisfactory.
Incidentally S10an, the lady you are referring too is also a JAA approved flight instructor, a position that does require approval and a fixed training program.
Why question a product that is producing over 90% first time pass rates time after time, and in one month accomplished a 100% first time pass rate?
I hope this clears up any confusion.
IBR