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| England faces widening skills gap, says outgoing Ofsted chief | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Sir Michael Wilshaw, the outgoing chief inspector of schools in England, has warned that the country faces a widening “skills gap” that threatens its economic prosperity. | Sir Michael Wilshaw, the outgoing chief inspector of schools in England, has warned that the country faces a widening “skills gap” that threatens its economic prosperity. |
| Wilshaw said that while schools continued to improve – with 90% of primaries and 78% of secondaries rated good or outstanding – there were worrying signs over teacher shortages and in further education for young adults. | Wilshaw said that while schools continued to improve – with 90% of primaries and 78% of secondaries rated good or outstanding – there were worrying signs over teacher shortages and in further education for young adults. |
| “The country is facing serious knowledge and skills gaps that threaten the competitiveness of our economy,” Wilshaw said, unveiling Ofsted’s 2015-16 annual report. | “The country is facing serious knowledge and skills gaps that threaten the competitiveness of our economy,” Wilshaw said, unveiling Ofsted’s 2015-16 annual report. |
| “The decision to leave the European Union has thrown this issue into even sharper relief. As a nation, we can either intervene to inject the system with the vision, skills and energy it needs, or we can be content with the status quo and the consequences of our failure to improve the quality and status of technical education over many years.” | “The decision to leave the European Union has thrown this issue into even sharper relief. As a nation, we can either intervene to inject the system with the vision, skills and energy it needs, or we can be content with the status quo and the consequences of our failure to improve the quality and status of technical education over many years.” |
| The proportion of further education colleges rated as good or better had declined from 77% to 71% over the course of the year. | The proportion of further education colleges rated as good or better had declined from 77% to 71% over the course of the year. |
| “Many further education colleges are facing a period of continued turmoil while the quality of apprenticeship programmes remains patchy,” Wilshaw said. | “Many further education colleges are facing a period of continued turmoil while the quality of apprenticeship programmes remains patchy,” Wilshaw said. |
| Wilshaw noted that 1.8 million more children were now attending good or outstanding schools in England compared with August 2010, saying there had been “significant improvements even over the five years that I have been chief inspector”. | Wilshaw noted that 1.8 million more children were now attending good or outstanding schools in England compared with August 2010, saying there had been “significant improvements even over the five years that I have been chief inspector”. |
| “Our schools have also become great forces for social cohesion. We forget what an incredible achievement this is. Whatever cultural tensions exist outside of school, race and religion are not barriers within them,” said Wilshaw, whose term at Ofsted included the Trojan Horse scandal over religious influence in schools in Birmingham. | “Our schools have also become great forces for social cohesion. We forget what an incredible achievement this is. Whatever cultural tensions exist outside of school, race and religion are not barriers within them,” said Wilshaw, whose term at Ofsted included the Trojan Horse scandal over religious influence in schools in Birmingham. |
| Chris Keates, the general secretary of the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers, said: “The chief inspector is right to send a clear warning about the government’s obsession with further structural changes as being the way to raise standards for pupils. | Chris Keates, the general secretary of the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers, said: “The chief inspector is right to send a clear warning about the government’s obsession with further structural changes as being the way to raise standards for pupils. |
| “What matters is creating the conditions in which teachers can focus on teaching and learning, without unnecessary and wasteful distractions.” | “What matters is creating the conditions in which teachers can focus on teaching and learning, without unnecessary and wasteful distractions.” |
| Wilshaw said he remained worried that performance in secondary schools in some parts of countries had stagnated, especially in the north-west, where half of secondary schools in Liverpool were ranked poorly. | Wilshaw said he remained worried that performance in secondary schools in some parts of countries had stagnated, especially in the north-west, where half of secondary schools in Liverpool were ranked poorly. |
| “Regions that are less prosperous than the south are in danger of adding an education deficit to their economic one,” Wilshaw said. | “Regions that are less prosperous than the south are in danger of adding an education deficit to their economic one,” Wilshaw said. |
| Speaking to an audience of school leaders and educationalists in London, including former education secretaries Nicky Morgan and Kenneth Baker, Wilshaw said criticisms of state schools as “bog standard” were “out of date and frankly wrong”. | Speaking to an audience of school leaders and educationalists in London, including former education secretaries Nicky Morgan and Kenneth Baker, Wilshaw said criticisms of state schools as “bog standard” were “out of date and frankly wrong”. |
| But he called the shortage of teachers a crisis. Ofsted inspectors report that in the north-west the problem leads to “auctions” as schools compete for staff, he said. | But he called the shortage of teachers a crisis. Ofsted inspectors report that in the north-west the problem leads to “auctions” as schools compete for staff, he said. |
| Wilshaw also warned that “too many parents” were opting out of mainstream education for religious or cultural reasons, and called for local authorities to do more to monitor the proliferation of small private schools. | Wilshaw also warned that “too many parents” were opting out of mainstream education for religious or cultural reasons, and called for local authorities to do more to monitor the proliferation of small private schools. |