Trojan horse row: school at centre of allegations rated inadequate by Ofsted

http://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/jun/05/trojan-horse-row-school-rated-inadequate-ofsted

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A Birmingham school at the centre of the alleged takeover plot by Islamists has been branded inadequate by Ofsted inspectors for doing "too little to keep students safe from the risks associated with extremist views" – a charge rejected by the school's management as being politically motivated.

Golden Hillock secondary school in Sparkbrook is one of three managed by the Park View Educational Trust, which took over the school in October last year with the approval of the Department for Education.

The trust was placed at the centre of the controversy by the "Trojan horse" letter, which surfaced in March this year and sparked investigations ordered by the education secretary, Michael Gove. The issue has also sparked a furious cabinet row about how to combat Islamic extremism between Gove and the home secretary, Theresa May.

According to a leaked copy of the Ofsted inspection report seen by the Guardian – due to be published next week – Golden Hillock has been rated as inadequate on all categories and placed in special measures, pending its likely change of management by the DfE.

"The academy's work to keep students safe is inadequate. Key safeguarding procedures are not followed. Too little is done to keep students safe from the risks associated with extremist views," the report says.

The inspectors said staff were "polarised about the leadership of the school. Some female members of staff complained to Her Majesty's inspectors that at times they are spoken to in a manner which they find intimidating."

But the trust offered a detailed rebuttal to the report, saying it did not accept the findings of the Ofsted inspectors.

"Ofsted judges that Golden Hillock is not doing enough to raise students' awareness of the 'risks of extremism'. However, it is crucial to note that the Ofsted reports make absolutely no suggestion, nor did they find any evidence, that Golden Hillock either promotes or tolerates extremism or radicalisation," the Park View trust said in a statement.

"It is also crucial to note that the school had been part of Park View Educational Trust for just five months at the time of the Ofsted inspection in March 2014. A number of the judgments are based on data and information that predate the trust's involvement.

"We believe that the inspections were conducted in a climate created by the 'Trojan horse' letter, coupled with unproven allegations about other schools within the trust that had started to appear in the media.

"This led to unprecedented lines of enquiry from Ofsted based on proving the imposition of strict Islamic practices at trust schools – such as segregation of boys and girls, forcing of wearing headscarves, promotion of homophobic or racist views. Golden Hillock's Ofsted report finds absolutely no evidence of these practices."

The Ofsted findings are at odds with its inspectors' findings in 2013, when it last inspected the school. Then inspectors noted that "students feel safe and are taught how to stay safe".

"The school promotes students' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. Students think carefully about social and moral issues in many lessons, especially religious education … As a result, students are happy, confident learners with a good sense of right and wrong. Students from different backgrounds get on well together," Ofsted said in 2013.

Russell Hobby, general secretary of National Association of Head Teachers, said that the leaks involving the 21 schools involved in the investigation were damaging and called on Ofsted to publish the reports as soon as possible.

"We must not forget that thousands of students, their families and their teachers are at the heart of this. They only want to get on with their education and their jobs," Hobby said.

A DfE spokesperson said: "We are investigating all evidence put to us in conjunction with Ofsted, Birmingham city council and the police. It is absolutely vital these investigations are carried out impartially, without pre-judgment.

"Ofsted has inspected a number of schools in the light of recent allegations and will report to the secretary of state shortly. Retired senior police officer Peter Clarke has been asked by the secretary of state to make a full enquiry into Birmingham schools and will report back this summer. It would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage."

Tristrim Hunt, the shadow education secretary, sought to turn the spotlight on Gove's handling of the affair, saying the education secretary had been warned about similar issues in Birmingham schools four years earlier.

"Rather than rowing with Theresa May, he needs to answer why he has refused to act," Hunt said, a reference to the dispute between Gove and the home secretary over tackling the issue.

"The Tory education programme has created a vacuum in the local oversight of schools which Labour has warned about for years. It is inconceivable that ministers can oversee half of our country's secondary schools from a desk in Whitehall," Hunt said.