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| Schools failing poor children, says Ofsted chief | |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| New superteachers should be parachuted into areas with "mediocre schools", the chief inspector of schools in England will say in a radical speech on Thursday, as part of a drive to improve education for poor children "unseen" by the current system. | New superteachers should be parachuted into areas with "mediocre schools", the chief inspector of schools in England will say in a radical speech on Thursday, as part of a drive to improve education for poor children "unseen" by the current system. |
| Sir Michael Wilshaw will also spell out a tougher approach from Ofsted to schools that are believed to be failing poor children. Schools previously judged outstanding but which are not doing well by their poorest children will be reinspected by the inspectorate. | Sir Michael Wilshaw will also spell out a tougher approach from Ofsted to schools that are believed to be failing poor children. Schools previously judged outstanding but which are not doing well by their poorest children will be reinspected by the inspectorate. |
| The head of Ofsted argues that a cadre of "national service teachers" should be created, employed directly by central government rather than by local authorities or individual schools. They would be sent to teach in parts of the country that struggle to attract accomplished teachers, into schools that are said to be failing their most disadvantaged pupils. | The head of Ofsted argues that a cadre of "national service teachers" should be created, employed directly by central government rather than by local authorities or individual schools. They would be sent to teach in parts of the country that struggle to attract accomplished teachers, into schools that are said to be failing their most disadvantaged pupils. |
| Wilshaw believes that schools in large cities such as London, Manchester and Birmingham have been successfully turned around since Ofsted first raised the issue 20 years ago, and that the children now most at risk of missing out on the benefits of education are "hidden" in otherwise well-off areas, including Kettering, Wokingham, Norwich and Newbury. | Wilshaw believes that schools in large cities such as London, Manchester and Birmingham have been successfully turned around since Ofsted first raised the issue 20 years ago, and that the children now most at risk of missing out on the benefits of education are "hidden" in otherwise well-off areas, including Kettering, Wokingham, Norwich and Newbury. |
| "Today, many of the disadvantaged children performing least well in school can be found in leafy suburbs, market towns or seaside resorts. Often they are spread thinly, as an 'invisible minority' across areas that are relatively affluent," Wilshaw will say. | "Today, many of the disadvantaged children performing least well in school can be found in leafy suburbs, market towns or seaside resorts. Often they are spread thinly, as an 'invisible minority' across areas that are relatively affluent," Wilshaw will say. |
| "These poor, unseen children can be found in mediocre schools the length and breadth of our country. They are labelled, buried in lower sets, consigned as often as not to indifferent teaching. | "These poor, unseen children can be found in mediocre schools the length and breadth of our country. They are labelled, buried in lower sets, consigned as often as not to indifferent teaching. |
| "They coast through education until – at the earliest opportunity – they sever their ties with it." | "They coast through education until – at the earliest opportunity – they sever their ties with it." |
| Ofsted's latest report identifies deprived coastal towns and rural, less populous regions of the country, particularly down the east and south-east of England, as having been overlooked by national initiatives. It also found that a significant number of poorer children are being failed by schools in areas of higher income. | Ofsted's latest report identifies deprived coastal towns and rural, less populous regions of the country, particularly down the east and south-east of England, as having been overlooked by national initiatives. It also found that a significant number of poorer children are being failed by schools in areas of higher income. |
| Wilshaw is calling for the London Challenge programme – in which successful schools partnered with weaker establishments in the capital – to be extended nationwide. "The most important factor in reversing these trends is to attract and incentivise the best people to the leadership of underperforming schools in these areas," Sir Michael is to say. | Wilshaw is calling for the London Challenge programme – in which successful schools partnered with weaker establishments in the capital – to be extended nationwide. "The most important factor in reversing these trends is to attract and incentivise the best people to the leadership of underperforming schools in these areas," Sir Michael is to say. |
| Christine Blower of the National Union of Teachers praised the school collaboration model of the London Challenge but was otherwise sceptical of Wilshaw's superteacher proposal. | Christine Blower of the National Union of Teachers praised the school collaboration model of the London Challenge but was otherwise sceptical of Wilshaw's superteacher proposal. |
| "Sir Michael's idea of individual teachers being catapulted into schools to help with pupils achievement will not have anywhere near the same impact," she said. "It really is time government and Ofsted stopped trying to reinvent the wheel and just work with what we know achieves results," she said. | "Sir Michael's idea of individual teachers being catapulted into schools to help with pupils achievement will not have anywhere near the same impact," she said. "It really is time government and Ofsted stopped trying to reinvent the wheel and just work with what we know achieves results," she said. |
| The speech marks 20 years since Ofsted published its first report on the educational barriers for the most disadvantaged children in seven deprived areas in England. "Our report shows that poverty of expectation is a greater problem than material poverty because we know of examples of schools serving areas of great disadvantage that are doing very well by their children," Wilshaw says. | The speech marks 20 years since Ofsted published its first report on the educational barriers for the most disadvantaged children in seven deprived areas in England. "Our report shows that poverty of expectation is a greater problem than material poverty because we know of examples of schools serving areas of great disadvantage that are doing very well by their children," Wilshaw says. |
| Sir Peter Lampl of the Sutton Trust said: "Sir Michael Wilshaw is absolutely right to focus on the poor attainment of low income pupils, particularly outside London, where results have been patchy. Good teaching across the board, strong leadership and effective use of data are all absolutely vital." | Sir Peter Lampl of the Sutton Trust said: "Sir Michael Wilshaw is absolutely right to focus on the poor attainment of low income pupils, particularly outside London, where results have been patchy. Good teaching across the board, strong leadership and effective use of data are all absolutely vital." |