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Ofsted chief: a quarter of 'outstanding' schools may be downgraded Ofsted chief: a quarter of 'outstanding' schools may be downgraded
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A quarter of schools rated as outstanding may be downgraded from this autumn, the chief inspector of England's schools has warned.A quarter of schools rated as outstanding may be downgraded from this autumn, the chief inspector of England's schools has warned.
In his first speech as head of Ofsted, Sir Michael Wilshaw said that unless schools had outstanding teaching, they could be stripped of an overall outstanding rating.In his first speech as head of Ofsted, Sir Michael Wilshaw said that unless schools had outstanding teaching, they could be stripped of an overall outstanding rating.
Just over 1,000 schools were rated outstanding at their last inspection, but failed to achieve a verdict of outstanding on the quality of teaching. Half of outstanding secondaries and a fifth of primaries come into this category. Just over 1,000 schools were rated outstanding at their last inspection, but failed to achieve a verdict of outstanding on the quality of teaching. Half of outstanding secondaries and a fifth of primaries come into this category. Wilshaw, who is well-known for having turned around failing schools in challenging parts of London, said inspectors would start to re-inspect these schools from this autumn.
Wilshaw, who is well-known for having turned around failing schools in challenging parts of London, said inspectors would start to re-inspect these schools from this autumn. He will be acting on the advice of Michael Gove, the education secretary, who said in September he was concerned so many schools were judged outstanding when their teaching obtained a rating of good.
He will be acting on the advice of Michael Gove, the education secretary, who said in September he was concerned "so many" schools were judged outstanding when their teaching obtained a rating of only "good".
Wilshaw warned that teachers of outstanding schools were expected to share their expertise with underperforming schools and should not be doing this unless their teaching was of the highest quality.Wilshaw warned that teachers of outstanding schools were expected to share their expertise with underperforming schools and should not be doing this unless their teaching was of the highest quality.
Headteachers of high-performing schools should consider themselves to be "conscripts … sort of part of a national service" and join inspectors on several visits to other schools a year, he said.Headteachers of high-performing schools should consider themselves to be "conscripts … sort of part of a national service" and join inspectors on several visits to other schools a year, he said.
"It is important that outstanding schools should not luxuriate in their own outstandingness," Wilshaw said. "There is a moral imperative and duty to support others that are doing less well. That's why I want leaders of our outstanding institutions to involve themselves in the inspection process. Ofsted needs you. Your country needs you.""It is important that outstanding schools should not luxuriate in their own outstandingness," Wilshaw said. "There is a moral imperative and duty to support others that are doing less well. That's why I want leaders of our outstanding institutions to involve themselves in the inspection process. Ofsted needs you. Your country needs you."
Wilshaw has previously said he wants the "satisfactory" rating inspectors give schools to be replaced by "requires improvement". If schools that are given a "requires improvement" rating do not improve after two inspections, they will go into the emergency category of "special measures". This means their headteacher could be forced out and the school could be strongly encouraged to become an academy. Wilshaw has previously said he wants the rating of satisfactory to be replaced by "requires improvement". If schools given this rating do not improve after two inspections, they will go into the emergency category of special measures. This means their headteacher could be forced out and the school could be strongly encouraged to become an academy.
Underperforming schools exist in the most prosperous, as well as the poorest, parts of the country, Wilshaw said. Some 300 schools in leafy, well-off neighbourhoods have been judged satisfactory for several years. Faith schools in Oxfordshire and Surrey come into this category, he said. Underperforming schools existed in both the most prosperous and the poorest parts of the country, Wilshaw said. Some 300 schools in well-off neighbourhoods had been judged satisfactory for several years, including faith schools in Oxfordshire and Surrey, he said.
Up to 6,000 schools were labelled as satisfactory in their last inspection and half of these had failed to be upgraded over six or more years, Wilshaw said. Up to 6,000 schools were labelled satisfactory in their last inspection and half of those had failed to be upgraded over six or more years, Wilshaw said.
The reforms, which are expected to come in this autumn, will "focus minds and ensure headteachers make more effort", he said. "We have got to move to a 'no excuses' culture," Wilshaw said. "We haven't addressed that yawning divide between the best and the worst and that is why I am very concerned that Ofsted should raise the bar." The reforms, which are expected to come in this autumn, would "focus minds and ensure headteachers make more effort". We have got to move to a no-excuses culture. We haven't addressed that yawning divide between the best and the worst and that is why I am very concerned that Ofsted should raise the bar."
Union leaders said that in recent months, government rhetoric against their profession had reached record levels and Wilshaw's comments were further evidence of this. Union leaders said that in recent months government rhetoric against their profession had reached record levels and Wilshaw's comments were further evidence of this.
Christine Blower, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said Wilshaw's words were "yet more aggressive rhetoric from a chief inspector who has obviously warmed to the task of attacking the teaching profession from any angle". She said constant changes to inspections were unsettling for teachers and Wilshaw's reforms were about turning as many schools into academies as possible.Christine Blower, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said Wilshaw's words were "yet more aggressive rhetoric from a chief inspector who has obviously warmed to the task of attacking the teaching profession from any angle". She said constant changes to inspections were unsettling for teachers and Wilshaw's reforms were about turning as many schools into academies as possible.
Chris Keates, the general secretary of the NASUWT teaching union, said Wilshaw was "trashing the school system, trashing the reputation of Ofsted and removing anything that parents can rely on by which to judge a school".Chris Keates, the general secretary of the NASUWT teaching union, said Wilshaw was "trashing the school system, trashing the reputation of Ofsted and removing anything that parents can rely on by which to judge a school".
"This is puerile game-playing at expense of schools, their teachers and pupils," she said. "This is puerile game-playing at the expense of schools, their teachers and pupils," she said.
"The secretary of state's strategy of letting outstanding schools automatically become academies is now in tatters.""The secretary of state's strategy of letting outstanding schools automatically become academies is now in tatters."