Chief Inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw didn’t pull his punches when appearing in front of MPs this morning.
Here are the key things we learned from the HMCI…
1. 16 to 19-year-olds should be educated in schools, not colleges
In what definitely wasn’t his first attack on the further education sector, Sir Michael said schools (in the form of University Technical Colleges) should provide the sort of vocational education currently provided by FE colleges.
Wilshaw: 16-19 education should be done in a school environment, not FE colleges #edselctte
— Schools Week LIVE (@SchoolsWeekLive) March 2, 2016
Vulnerable learners go to amorphous FE institution and do badly says Sir Michael Wilshaw @CommonsEd
— FE Week (@FEWeek) March 2, 2016
As several people have already pointed out on twitter, his proposals would mean moving A LOT of pupils between the two sectors.
SMW doesn't think FE should do 16-19. That's 450,000 students pa to reallocate+60% of college income to make up… pic.twitter.com/OGvbIBeNlf
— Jonathan Simons (@jonathansimons) March 2, 2016
2. Wilshaw doesn’t think his successor should come from the US
Responding to speculation that the next chief inspector could be recruited from overseas, Sir Michael made his views very clear…
Wilshaw on speculation of appointing someone from US. He says their system is not as good as ours and plenty of good people in UK #edselctte
— Schools Week LIVE (@SchoolsWeekLive) March 2, 2016
3. School leaders’ pay should be published to encourage potential heads to step up
After insisting several times that one of the main things holding schools back is a lack of good leadership, Sir Michael said the incentives of progressing to headship or academy trust leadership roles should be in the public eye.
Wilshaw says we should publicise the amount of cash that teachers can earn as trust chief execs, MAT heads etc ..#edselctte
— Schools Week LIVE (@SchoolsWeekLive) March 2, 2016
But he was also keen to point out that leadership skills were not one-size-fits-all.
He also adds that good headteachers don't necessarily make good MAT chief executives #Wilshaw #edselctte
— Schools Week LIVE (@SchoolsWeekLive) March 2, 2016
4. He’s not a huge fan of the National College for Teaching and Leadership
Although he didn’t go into much detail, Sir Michael made it very clear how he feels about the NCTL.
"What is the national college of school leadership doing? When was the last time we heard them talk about leadership?" – Wilshaw #edselctte
— Schools Week LIVE (@SchoolsWeekLive) March 2, 2016
He says he’s written a paper with proposals for it, which he is going to let the committee have “in due course”.
5. RSCs’ roles are ‘not clear’ and Ofsted has a ‘tense’ relationship with them
This one is so interesting we did a whole story on it. In sum: he is not a fan.
He’s turning into Donald Trump. Next he’ll be advocating building walls round schools to keep FE prospectuses out.
Removal of Careers Service did that five years ago, didn’t it? 😉
Sir Michael’s mix of anecdote and prejudice against FE is preventing sensible analysis. Schools suit some 16 year olds but to suggest they are right for all (and to suggest schools are all competent in delivering technical and professional education) is breathtakingly arrogant. The school system has failed too many pupils by Y11. Supporting far too many small sixth forms as vanity projects is a misuse of public money.
Now he is approaching retirement from Ofsted I guess Wilshaw feels free to have a go at his favourite targets and air his prejudices. He must be eying up some post-Ofsted role, so I wonder who is trying to impress with all this Trump-like talk?
78% of general FE colleges are good or better but Sir M thinks the sector’s in a mess. It undermines his role as Chief HMI if he passes off personal opinion as fact when the facts as evidenced by his own organisation undermine his opinion. http://www.localschoolsnetwork.org.uk/2016/03/78-of-fe-colleges-are-good-or-better-but-chief-hmi-says-the-sectors-in-a-mess