Sir Michael Wilshaw 'spitting blood' over Ofsted attack
Michael Gove (left) appointed Sir Michael in January 2012 The chief inspector of schools in England Sir Michael Wilshaw has said he is "spitting blood" by attacks on Ofsted from allies of Michael Gove.
Two think tanks, one set up by the education secretary himself, are said to be preparing to call for a radical overhaul of the inspection regime.
Ofsted chief Sir Michael called on Mr Gove to call off the critics.
In an interview with the Sunday Times he said criticism of Ofsted's ideology was "nonsensical".
Sir Michael was appointed by the education secretary and the pair have been thought of as allies, with Mr Gove once describing the inspector as his hero.
But Sir Michael, who inspects children's services, as well as schools, in England, said he was "displeased, shocked and outraged" at attacks on Ofsted's inspectors.
"I am spitting blood over this and I want it to stop," he said.
"It does nothing for [Michael Gove's] drive or our drive to raise standards in schools.
"I was never intimidated as a head teacher and I do not intend to be intimidated as a chief inspector."
At oddsThe chief executive of right-wing think tank Civitas said on Friday Ofsted should be scrapped, while Policy Exchange, set up by Mr Gove in 2002, has asked teachers to respond to a paper headed: Is Ofsted fit for purpose.
Sir Michael said the think tanks were being "informed by people at the Department for Education" - and "possibly" by Mr Gove's advisers.
But BBC political correspondent Ross Hawkins said a source close to Mr Gove had said it definitely was not the case that the education secretary or anyone close had encouraged the attacks.
The Sunday Times report suggested the chief inspector and the education secretary were now at odds, our correspondent added.
Sir Michael also used the interview to express his concern at critics of the education system who he said want "children to be lectured for six hours a day in serried ranks".
No comments:
Post a Comment