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| Teachers stage ‘no confidence’ votes | Teachers stage ‘no confidence’ votes |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| A motion of no-confidence in Education Secretary Michael Gove is to be debated by members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) later. | |
| Members of the NUT and the NASUWT are holding their annual conferences this weekend. | |
| The NUT, meeting in Liverpool, is expected to hold votes on Mr Gove and Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw. | |
| The NASUWT will separately hear calls for an overhaul or abolition of inspections. | |
| It claims the government's education policies are "destructive" and that Ofsted inspections are undermining confidence in England's education system. | It claims the government's education policies are "destructive" and that Ofsted inspections are undermining confidence in England's education system. |
| The two unions are in dispute with the government over pay, pensions and workload. A fresh wave of strikes is expected in the summer. | The two unions are in dispute with the government over pay, pensions and workload. A fresh wave of strikes is expected in the summer. |
| These will be local strikes, but national strikes are also being planned for later in the year. | These will be local strikes, but national strikes are also being planned for later in the year. |
| The coalition has brought in widespread changes to education since it came to power three years ago, and says these will help drive up standards in England's schools. | The coalition has brought in widespread changes to education since it came to power three years ago, and says these will help drive up standards in England's schools. |
| The two big classroom teachers' unions oppose many of the changes, particularly the move towards academy and free schools and performance-related pay. | The two big classroom teachers' unions oppose many of the changes, particularly the move towards academy and free schools and performance-related pay. |
| The NASUWT, meeting in Bournemouth, has published a survey of nearly 3,000 of its members, which found nearly all (95%) of respondents said the school inspection system operated "in the interests of politicians rather than the public or pupils". | The NASUWT, meeting in Bournemouth, has published a survey of nearly 3,000 of its members, which found nearly all (95%) of respondents said the school inspection system operated "in the interests of politicians rather than the public or pupils". |
| And 80% said they agreed that the current model of school inspection "unfairly undermines public confidence in the education system". | And 80% said they agreed that the current model of school inspection "unfairly undermines public confidence in the education system". |
| The survey was carried out online by the union last month. | The survey was carried out online by the union last month. |
| The general secretary of the NASUWT, Chris Keates, said teachers understood the need for inspection, but believed it had become too "high stakes" because a bad Ofsted rating could lead to a school being taken over or turned in to an academy. | The general secretary of the NASUWT, Chris Keates, said teachers understood the need for inspection, but believed it had become too "high stakes" because a bad Ofsted rating could lead to a school being taken over or turned in to an academy. |
| "Teachers recognise that public services have to be accountable. They are not afraid of inspections but they feel it has become an unproductive and punitive regime," she said. | "Teachers recognise that public services have to be accountable. They are not afraid of inspections but they feel it has become an unproductive and punitive regime," she said. |
| "And they are deeply concerned about the politicisation of Ofsted. It's now holding schools to account and has become a hit squad for the implementation of government policy. | "And they are deeply concerned about the politicisation of Ofsted. It's now holding schools to account and has become a hit squad for the implementation of government policy. |
| "It's creating a climate of fear in schools and doing nothing to raise school standards." | "It's creating a climate of fear in schools and doing nothing to raise school standards." |
| 'Outstanding' | 'Outstanding' |
| Ofsted has been built up by the government, which sees it as a key way of protecting and improving standards in schools, especially since many schools are becoming academies, which are independent from local authorities. | Ofsted has been built up by the government, which sees it as a key way of protecting and improving standards in schools, especially since many schools are becoming academies, which are independent from local authorities. |
| Chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw has cut the categories schools are rated by, scrapping the "satisfactory" rating. He says all schools should be "good" or "outstanding". | Chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw has cut the categories schools are rated by, scrapping the "satisfactory" rating. He says all schools should be "good" or "outstanding". |
| He has also called for a sharper focus on teaching, saying schools should only be given the highest rating - outstanding - if they are ranked outstanding for teaching. In the past, this did not have to be the case. | He has also called for a sharper focus on teaching, saying schools should only be given the highest rating - outstanding - if they are ranked outstanding for teaching. In the past, this did not have to be the case. |
| 'Tough message' | 'Tough message' |
| Sir Michael was not available to be interviewed, but a spokeswoman for Ofsted said: "Sir Michael has said from the outset any provision that is less than good is not acceptable. | Sir Michael was not available to be interviewed, but a spokeswoman for Ofsted said: "Sir Michael has said from the outset any provision that is less than good is not acceptable. |
| "That's a tough message, especially for those schools and colleges that have been coasting. It's inevitable that when you challenge the system to do better, you will get some pushback." | "That's a tough message, especially for those schools and colleges that have been coasting. It's inevitable that when you challenge the system to do better, you will get some pushback." |
| She said the inspectorate had a new regional structure which gave "support as well as challenge" for schools and promoted improvement. | She said the inspectorate had a new regional structure which gave "support as well as challenge" for schools and promoted improvement. |
| It was working towards its ambition of "ensuring a good education for every child". | It was working towards its ambition of "ensuring a good education for every child". |
| A spokesman for the Department for Education said: "We need an education system that is on a par with the world's best. | A spokesman for the Department for Education said: "We need an education system that is on a par with the world's best. |
| "Our academies programme is turning around hundreds of underperforming schools, we are introducing a world class curriculum and our reforms to exams will create qualifications that will keep pace with the demands of universities and employers." | "Our academies programme is turning around hundreds of underperforming schools, we are introducing a world class curriculum and our reforms to exams will create qualifications that will keep pace with the demands of universities and employers." |