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| Ofsted can downgrade schools for Islamic veils | Ofsted can downgrade schools for Islamic veils |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw has told inspectors to mark down schools if they think the wearing of face veils is "acting as a barrier" to learning. | Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw has told inspectors to mark down schools if they think the wearing of face veils is "acting as a barrier" to learning. |
| This will apply to both pupils and staff - and follows questions about allowing Islamic face veils in schools. | This will apply to both pupils and staff - and follows questions about allowing Islamic face veils in schools. |
| Education Secretary Nicky Morgan has said such decisions about uniform policies were up to individual schools. | Education Secretary Nicky Morgan has said such decisions about uniform policies were up to individual schools. |
| Sir Michael says he wants to give his "full backing" to heads wanting to impose a ban on face veils. | Sir Michael says he wants to give his "full backing" to heads wanting to impose a ban on face veils. |
| The Department for Education says it is "clearly right" that if veils are interfering with learning that Ofsted should take action. | |
| The Ofsted chief said he was concerned that some heads were "coming under pressure" to relax a ban on face veils, either for staff or pupils. | The Ofsted chief said he was concerned that some heads were "coming under pressure" to relax a ban on face veils, either for staff or pupils. |
| "I want to assure these leaders that they can rely on my full backing for the stance they are taking," said Sir Michael. | "I want to assure these leaders that they can rely on my full backing for the stance they are taking," said Sir Michael. |
| He said that inspectors could fail schools if they thought wearing a veil was damaging teaching. | He said that inspectors could fail schools if they thought wearing a veil was damaging teaching. |
| "I have also made clear to my inspectors that where leaders are condoning the wearing of the face veil by staff members or by pupils, when this is clearly hindering communication and effective teaching, they should give consideration to judging the school as inadequate." | "I have also made clear to my inspectors that where leaders are condoning the wearing of the face veil by staff members or by pupils, when this is clearly hindering communication and effective teaching, they should give consideration to judging the school as inadequate." |
| The Ofsted chief says he has written to all inspectors with this advice and says schools can be "marked down" if wearing the veil stands in the way of "positive social interaction". | |
| Sir Michael said that discrimination "on the grounds of gender, has no place in our classrooms". | Sir Michael said that discrimination "on the grounds of gender, has no place in our classrooms". |
| A Department for Education spokesman said "we fully support" the statement from Sir Michael that head teachers who "restrict the wearing of the veil to support effective teaching and learning will receive Ofsted's backing". | |
| "It is also clearly right that if the wearing of the veil is interfering with education in schools that should trigger action from Ofsted." |