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British values 'a tough call' for inspectors - Ofsted | British values 'a tough call' for inspectors - Ofsted |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Inspecting British values has made life "difficult" for Ofsted, one of the watchdog's senior officials has said. | Inspecting British values has made life "difficult" for Ofsted, one of the watchdog's senior officials has said. |
Ofsted's schools director Sean Harford, told a heads' conference, it had been a "tough call" serving judgements on schools in "mono-cultural areas". | |
It was essential inspectors focused on how schools prepared pupils for life in modern Britain, he told the ASCL union. | |
Most schools were getting their approach right, he said, but a minority were failing to challenge intolerance. | Most schools were getting their approach right, he said, but a minority were failing to challenge intolerance. |
His comments come almost a year after the so-called Trojan Horse letter emerged, suggesting extremists had tried to take over several schools in Birmingham to advance radical interpretations of Islam. | His comments come almost a year after the so-called Trojan Horse letter emerged, suggesting extremists had tried to take over several schools in Birmingham to advance radical interpretations of Islam. |
A series of official investigations, including one by Ofsted, found the claims to be groundless. | A series of official investigations, including one by Ofsted, found the claims to be groundless. |
'Uncomfortable' | 'Uncomfortable' |
In a speech to the Association of School and College Leaders, in London, Mr Harford said tackling these issues was difficult but "one of the most important things" his inspectors were doing. | In a speech to the Association of School and College Leaders, in London, Mr Harford said tackling these issues was difficult but "one of the most important things" his inspectors were doing. |
"Nevertheless we are not shirking this responsibility," he said. | "Nevertheless we are not shirking this responsibility," he said. |
In particular, Mr Harford mentioned inspectors who had gone into schools serving predominantly Muslim communities in Birmingham and Tower Hamlets, Jewish schools in Hackney, and Christian schools in the North East. | In particular, Mr Harford mentioned inspectors who had gone into schools serving predominantly Muslim communities in Birmingham and Tower Hamlets, Jewish schools in Hackney, and Christian schools in the North East. |
It was tough to say "uncomfortable things about how these institutions were failing to prepare their pupils for life in modern Britain", he said. | It was tough to say "uncomfortable things about how these institutions were failing to prepare their pupils for life in modern Britain", he said. |
"Schools, particularly those in mono-cultural areas, are on the frontline of ensuring that our society doesn't become fragmented and divided. | "Schools, particularly those in mono-cultural areas, are on the frontline of ensuring that our society doesn't become fragmented and divided. |
"We have all seen in recent months what can happen when this frontline is breached," he added. | "We have all seen in recent months what can happen when this frontline is breached," he added. |
It was absolutely essential that inspectors focused on the issue and applied the same principles and standards everywhere, he said. | It was absolutely essential that inspectors focused on the issue and applied the same principles and standards everywhere, he said. |
Rapid decline | Rapid decline |
Out of the headlines, the great majority of schools were getting their approach to this increasingly important part of the curriculum right, he said. | Out of the headlines, the great majority of schools were getting their approach to this increasingly important part of the curriculum right, he said. |
Only a minority were failing to challenge intolerance, he added. | Only a minority were failing to challenge intolerance, he added. |
He added he believed Ofsted had been right to go into the Birmingham Trojan Horse Schools last year. | He added he believed Ofsted had been right to go into the Birmingham Trojan Horse Schools last year. |
"These schools deserved their previous good or outstanding ratings because the head teachers who were in control at the time had worked incredibly hard to raise standards. | "These schools deserved their previous good or outstanding ratings because the head teachers who were in control at the time had worked incredibly hard to raise standards. |
"It was only when these same heads were pushed out or marginalised by governors that things started to go wrong. | "It was only when these same heads were pushed out or marginalised by governors that things started to go wrong. |
"The episode highlighted how rapidly schools - especially those in challenging areas - can decline and deteriorate in the absence of careful monitoring between inspections." | "The episode highlighted how rapidly schools - especially those in challenging areas - can decline and deteriorate in the absence of careful monitoring between inspections." |