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| Ofsted reprieve for heads who step into failing schools | Ofsted reprieve for heads who step into failing schools |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Heads who take over struggling schools are to be given a two and half years reprieve from Ofsted inspections, to enable them to turn things around. | |
| The plans come in a white paper on schools, which signals a shake-up of teacher training and school governance. | |
| Heads who take over failing schools have long complained that they risk their careers by doing so. | Heads who take over failing schools have long complained that they risk their careers by doing so. |
| It is hoped the reprieve will encourage more of them to work in challenging areas. | |
| The Education Secretary Nicky Morgan also announced an end to the legal obligation for academies to have parents as governors in all schools. | |
| Instead there will be a greater obligation to consult with parents. | |
| However the white paper sets out new powers for the Department for Education to force all schools in England to become academies, if they do not have a plan to convert by 2022. | |
| 'Incentives' | |
| Laying the plans before Parliament, Ms Morgan said she wants to provide a world class education system for all children, regardless of where they live or what their background is. | |
| She pledged "a new focus on achieving excellence in areas where too few children have access to a good school and there are not yet enough high quality teachers, school and system leaders, governors and sponsors to turn them around." | |
| There would be "fair, stretching accountability" focusing on tackling underperformance and "incentivising strong leaders to take over underperforming schools", she said. | |
| This includes giving schools which need improvement, and have appointed a new head, up to 30 months reprieve from inspection by Ofsted, unless the head specifically asks for support from an inspector. | |
| Acting general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders Malcolm Trobe said he was very pleased that the government had responded on the issue. | |
| "People who take over schools in challenging circumstances need some time in order to be able to make the necessary changes, and the fact that Ofsted will not be making immediate judgements on such schools will be so helpful." | |
| He said an Ofsted report too soon after a new head has taken over, is a significant disincentive to diligent and talented head teachers to take on a challenging school. | |
| On teacher training, the accreditation system will be changed to increase its focus on a teacher's effectiveness in the classroom. |