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Theresa May and Michael Gove's Trojan horse 'row' explained Theresa May and Michael Gove's Trojan horse row explained
(about 3 hours later)
Is there a row between Theresa May and Michael Gove?Is there a row between Theresa May and Michael Gove?
The home secretary and education secretary are doing their best to dispel the notion of a rift. They took the unusual step of issuing a joint statement insisting they are "working together" on alleged plots by hardline Islamists to take over some Birmingham schools. Their statement followed a pointed letter to Gove by May, in which she said concerns had been raised about the inability of local and central government to tackle the problem. "Is it true that Birmingham city council was warned about these allegations in 2008? Is it true that the Department for Education was warned in 2010? If so, why did nobody act?" asked May. Since the publication of the letter, the cabinet ministers said in their joint statement: "Michael Gove and Theresa May are working together to ensure we get to the bottom of what has happened in Birmingham and take the necessary steps to fix it." But the statement has done little to disguise an internal cabinet tussle over who can be toughest on threats of extremism and tension between the two. Last year, Gove accused May of promoting herself as a future leader. The home secretary and education secretary are doing their best to dispel the notion of a rift. They took the unusual step of issuing a joint statement insisting they are "working together" on alleged plots by hardline Islamists to take over some Birmingham schools.
Their statement followed a pointed letter to Gove from May, in which she said concerns had been raised about the inability of local and central government to tackle the problem. "Is it true that Birmingham city council was warned about these allegations in 2008? Is it true that the Department for Education was warned in 2010? If so, why did nobody act?" asked May.
Since the publication of the letter, the cabinet ministers said in their joint statement: "Michael Gove and Theresa May are working together to ensure we get to the bottom of what has happened in Birmingham and take the necessary steps to fix it." But the statement has done little to disguise an internal cabinet tussle over who can be toughest on threats of extremism and tension between the two. Last year, Gove accused May of promoting herself as a future leader.
Is there an Islamist plot to take over Birmingham schools?Is there an Islamist plot to take over Birmingham schools?
Ofsted is about to publish results – delayed until next week – of an inspection of 21 schools ordered by Gove after claims that conservative Muslims were trying to infiltrate the governing bodies of Birmingham schools in a plot dubbed "Operation Trojan horse". Although regarded as a hoax, the Trojan horse letter was still regarded as credible enough for Gove to appoint Peter Clarke, a former senior police officer who had headed the Met's counter-terrorism squad during the July 7 bombings in London, as a special education commissioner to investigate. Osted also began inspections of the schools. Ofsted is about to publish results – delayed until next week – of an inspection of 21 schools ordered by Gove after claims that conservative Muslims were trying to infiltrate the governing bodies of Birmingham schools in a plot dubbed "Operation Trojan horse".
Although regarded as a hoax, the Trojan horse letter was still regarded as credible enough for Gove to appoint Peter Clarke, a former senior police officer who had headed the Met's counter-terrorism squad during the 7 July bombings in London, as a special education commissioner to investigate. Ofsted also began inspections of the schools.
How credible will the Ofsted reports be?How credible will the Ofsted reports be?
Ofsted's impartiality has come under fire. Sir Tim Brighouse, a former chief education officer in Birmingham, and other experts said in a letter to the Guardian that the inspectors had an agenda that calls into question Ofsted's claims to be objective and professional. Their letter says Ofsted is being guided by an "ideology at odds with the traditional British values, particularly fairness, justice and respect for others". Ofsted's impartiality has come under fire. Sir Tim Brighouse, a former chief education officer in Birmingham, and other experts said in a letter to the Guardian that the inspectors had an agenda that calls into question Ofsted's claims to be objective and professional. Their letter says Ofsted is being guided by an "ideology at odds with the traditional British values, particularly fairness, justice and respect for others".
Why is Ofsted being questioned?Why is Ofsted being questioned?
Leaks of initial and subsequent reports of a number of schools show a big change in attitudes. One secondary school, Saltley School in Bordesley Green, is to be downgraded to inadequate and placed in special measures – according to a copy of the inspection report seen by the Guardian – only six months after a visit resulted in a good rating. A comparison of the two reports shows how the climate and Ofsted's priorities changed in the space of a year. While the school's 2013 report states "all safeguarding procedures are rigorous and meet requirements. Detailed records are maintained and kept up to date", the 2014 version states: "Weaknesses in policy and procedure for safeguarding means that neither senior leaders nor governors can be sure whether students are safe." Leaks of initial and subsequent reports of a number of schools show a big change in attitudes. One secondary school, Saltley School in Bordesley Green, is to be downgraded to inadequate and placed in special measures – according to a copy of the inspection report seen by the Guardian – only six months after a visit resulted in a good rating.
A comparison of the two reports shows how the climate and Ofsted's priorities changed in the space of a year. While the school's 2013 report states "all safeguarding procedures are rigorous and meet requirements. Detailed records are maintained and kept up to date", the 2014 version states: "Weaknesses in policy and procedure for safeguarding means that neither senior leaders nor governors can be sure whether students are safe."
Have there been other U-turns?Have there been other U-turns?
Ofsted's first inspection of Park View academy – at the centre of the Trojan horse allegations – cleared the school of allegations of discrimination and retained its outstanding rating, according to a leaked draft of the inspector's recommendations seen by the Guardian. The results of that initial inspection were rejected just a few days later when Ofsted inspectors re-entered the school and overturned their initial findings, replacing a string of relatively minor recommendations with more severe criticism that downgraded it from outstanding to inadequate. Park View could find itself placed in special measures. The reports are expected to classify six of the schools involved as inadequate due to concerns about student safeguarding, especially regarding the protection of pupils from exposure to extremism. The six include Park View, Golden Hillock and Nansen schools under the control of the Park View Academy Trust, which is likely to be ejected from its role by the Department for Education. Ofsted's first inspection of Park View academy – at the centre of the Trojan horse claims – cleared the school of allegations of discrimination and retained its outstanding rating, according to a leaked draft of the inspector's recommendations seen by the Guardian. The results of that initial inspection were rejected just a few days later when Ofsted inspectors re-entered the school and overturned their initial findings, replacing a string of relatively minor recommendations with more severe criticism that downgraded it from outstanding to inadequate.
Park View could find itself placed in special measures. The reports are expected to classify six of the schools involved as inadequate owing to concerns about student safeguarding, especially regarding the protection of pupils from exposure to extremism. The six include Park View, Golden Hillock and Nansen schools under the control of the Park View Academy Trust, which is likely to be ejected from its role by the Department for Education.
What has Ofsted said?What has Ofsted said?
On the concerns voiced by Brighhouse and others, An Ofsted spokesman said: "We will be publishing our findings early next week. However, these claims are baseless. Ofsted's chief inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw, had personal oversight of these inspections, which were carried out in very challenging circumstances, and he is completely satisfied that his inspectors conducted themselves with great professionalism and integrity throughout the process." On the concerns voiced by Brighhouse and others, an Ofsted spokesman said: "We will be publishing our findings early next week. However, these claims are baseless. Ofsted's chief inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw, had personal oversight of these inspections, which were carried out in very challenging circumstances, and he is completely satisfied that his inspectors conducted themselves with great professionalism and integrity throughout the process."