Michael Wilshaw | Schools Week

UTCs need ‘radical improvement’ to survive – Wilshaw

University Technical Colleges need “radical improvement” if the model is to survive, Sir Michael Wilshaw has said. The Ofsted chief inspector has been a champion of the controversial 14 to 19 vocational institutions during his tenure, but said consistency in their performance was missing and described their track record as “patchy” in a speech this […]

Birmingham schools still at risk of extremist ‘destabilisation’, says Sir Michael Wilshaw

Schools at the centre of the “Trojan Horse” investigations are now “much safer” but are still at risk of “destabilisation” from an “intent” minority, Ofsted’s chief inspector has said. In an open letter to the government about Birmingham City Council, Sir Michael Wilshaw said it was “distressing” to hear that in Birmingham schools allegedly targeted […]

New Ofsted chief faces £31 million funding black hole, Wilshaw admits

Ofsted’s new chief inspector will be left with a budget black hole of more than £30 million, Sir Michael Wilshaw has admitted. The inspectorate’s current boss says Ofsted needs to save £31.5 million over the next four years, and that its financial situation will present “risks” and pose a “challenge” for the organisation as a […]

Wilshaw and Carter to clash in first day of evidence

Sir Michael Wilshaw and Sir David Carter will appear together at the first evidence hearing next week of the select committee’s inquiry into multi-academy trusts. The pair often have differing views, says Neil Carmichael, which should make for an interesting session Next Wednesday the education select committee will begin its inquiry into multi-academy trusts (MATs) […]

Someone knock their bloody heads together

One of the few Shakespearean phrases I knew growing up was “someone knock their bloody heads together”. Unfortunately, I learned one day when I was about 20 that Shakespeare never said it. It’s still a good phrase though. And it’s an important one this week. A problem of politics is that it makes personalities impinge […]

Ofsted should take responsibility for primary curriculum bias

In his latest commentary, Sir Michael Wilshaw said subjects like science and modern languages have become the ‘poor relations’ of the primary school curriculum. Colin Richards argues that Ofsted is in large part responsible for the status quo. Ofsted has a lot to answer for when the chief inspector’s latest monthly commentary dares to criticise primary schools […]

Why we’re all on board in the north east

Heads in the north east say that teacher recruitment is one of their greatest problems. So its regional network set up a jobs board all of its own – and so far things are blossoming, says Mike Parker It was a scene worthy of George Orwell’s dystopian masterpiece, Animal Farm. “Four legs good, two legs […]

‘Can inspectors rate a school in 20 minutes?’

Teachers and school leaders deserve more than a quick judgment from Ofsted teams. Inspectors should instead make positive and self-aware efforts to challenge and look beyond those instant impressions, says Gerald Haigh. Can HMI tell almost as soon as they arrive at a school just how good (or, presumably, bad) it is? That’s certainly the […]

Is having a go at northern schools part of Michael Wilshaw’s job description?

Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw yesterday criticised schools in the north west – but was he within his remit to do so? I obsess about a few things. Clean and dry kitchen worktops, how to perfectly poach an egg (I’m a cling-film strategy guy and don’t mind split infinitives) and, more recently, brilliant job […]