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| No-notice Ofsted inspections reveal school weaknesses | No-notice Ofsted inspections reveal school weaknesses |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Ofsted has uncovered problems with poor teaching, inadequate governing bodies and failures to safeguard pupils against extremism in a wave of school inspections without warning. | Ofsted has uncovered problems with poor teaching, inadequate governing bodies and failures to safeguard pupils against extremism in a wave of school inspections without warning. |
| The watchdog carried out 35 no-notice visits across England in September. | The watchdog carried out 35 no-notice visits across England in September. |
| It followed concerns from the Trojan Horse investigations in Birmingham that schools could conceal unacceptable behaviour before inspections. | It followed concerns from the Trojan Horse investigations in Birmingham that schools could conceal unacceptable behaviour before inspections. |
| The reports are to be published in full later on Tuesday. | The reports are to be published in full later on Tuesday. |
| For this wave of inspections, Ofsted's teams arrived at schools without any prior warning. | For this wave of inspections, Ofsted's teams arrived at schools without any prior warning. |
| Sharp declines | Sharp declines |
| In one of the schools, Highfield junior and infant in Birmingham, neither the head teacher nor the chair of governors was available when inspectors arrived. | In one of the schools, Highfield junior and infant in Birmingham, neither the head teacher nor the chair of governors was available when inspectors arrived. |
| Despite their absence, the school was downgraded from "requires improvement" to "inadequate". | Despite their absence, the school was downgraded from "requires improvement" to "inadequate". |
| Ofsted has not yet named the 35 schools included in this series of inspections, but the Watchsted.com website, which tracks inspection reports, has been able to identify more than 30 schools receiving no-notice visits during those weeks. | |
| This group includes 18 being downgraded from previous inspections with 11 being put into the inadequate category. None of the schools facing snap inspections has been given higher grades than on previous Ofsted visits. | This group includes 18 being downgraded from previous inspections with 11 being put into the inadequate category. None of the schools facing snap inspections has been given higher grades than on previous Ofsted visits. |
| There are some schools and colleges with particularly sharp declines. | There are some schools and colleges with particularly sharp declines. |
| Damson Wood nursery and infant school in Solihull in Birmingham has dropped from outstanding to inadequate, with inspectors reporting that it was in a "muddled and chaotic position". | Damson Wood nursery and infant school in Solihull in Birmingham has dropped from outstanding to inadequate, with inspectors reporting that it was in a "muddled and chaotic position". |
| The Charles Dickens School in Broadstairs, Kent, has been downgraded from good to inadequate. | The Charles Dickens School in Broadstairs, Kent, has been downgraded from good to inadequate. |
| Fyndoune Community College in Durham and Durham Community Business College for Technology and Enterprise have gone from outstanding grades to inadequate. | Fyndoune Community College in Durham and Durham Community Business College for Technology and Enterprise have gone from outstanding grades to inadequate. |
| Trojan Horse | Trojan Horse |
| The call for no-warnings inspections came in the wake of the Trojan Horse inquiries into claims that schools in Birmingham were being targeted by groups promoting a hardline Muslim agenda. | The call for no-warnings inspections came in the wake of the Trojan Horse inquiries into claims that schools in Birmingham were being targeted by groups promoting a hardline Muslim agenda. |
| There were concerns that half a day's notice was allowing schools to give a false impression. | There were concerns that half a day's notice was allowing schools to give a false impression. |
| But the group of schools which has faced these latest inspections are not focused on any particular region or type of school. | But the group of schools which has faced these latest inspections are not focused on any particular region or type of school. |
| They include a range of faith and non-faith schools and were selected because of concerns about falling standards. | They include a range of faith and non-faith schools and were selected because of concerns about falling standards. |
| Despite the findings, these surprise inspections will not become the standard approach. | Despite the findings, these surprise inspections will not become the standard approach. |
| The proposal for such no-notice inspections received fierce criticism from head teachers. | The proposal for such no-notice inspections received fierce criticism from head teachers. |
| "Moving to no notice for routine inspections is unnecessary and would be counter-productive. It stifles creativity and treats professionals like naughty children," Brian Lightman, leader of the ASCL head teachers' union, had warned. | "Moving to no notice for routine inspections is unnecessary and would be counter-productive. It stifles creativity and treats professionals like naughty children," Brian Lightman, leader of the ASCL head teachers' union, had warned. |
| In October, Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw confirmed that schools would continue to be given a half day's notice for standard inspections. | In October, Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw confirmed that schools would continue to be given a half day's notice for standard inspections. |
| Sir Michael said that there were sufficient existing powers for no-notice inspections where there was evidence for such an intervention. | Sir Michael said that there were sufficient existing powers for no-notice inspections where there was evidence for such an intervention. |