Trojan Horse: Ofsted says schools were targeted

Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw: "In the most serious cases, a culture of fear and intimidation has taken grip"

By Sean CoughlanBBC News education correspondent

"A culture of fear and intimidation has taken grip" in Birmingham schools caught up in the Trojan Horse claims, says Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw.

Head teachers have been "marginalised or forced out of their jobs", said Sir Michael, as he delivered his findingson claims of hardline Muslim takeovers.

The Ofsted chief said there was evidence of an "organised campaign to target certain schools".

Leaders of one of the schools, Park View, firmly rejected the claims.

Ofsted has carried out inspections of 21 schools, following claims in an anonymous letter that hardline Muslims were trying to impose their view on a group of schools in Birmingham.

Sir Michael's conclusion is that there had been deliberate attempts to change the ethos of schools - and he has made recommendations, including the use of "professional governors", to the Education Secretary Michael Gove, who will respond later on Monday.

"Some of our findings are deeply worrying and, in some ways, quite shocking," says the Ofsted chief.

'Serious failure'

The five "Trojan Horse" schools - including three academies from the Park View Educational Trust - are being placed in special measures. A sixth school is also labelled inadequate for its poor educational standards.

Golden Hillock, part of the Park View trust, has been found inadequate

Ofsted says that 12 schools will need to make improvements - and three have emerged with praise rather than criticism.

• Inspectors' criticisms included: Organised campaign to alter "character and ethos" of schools
• Breakdown of trust between governors and staff, with teachers "bullied" and "intimidated" and fearing loss of their jobs
• Female staff complained of unfair treatment
• Family members being appointed to unadvertised senior leadership posts

Sir Michael also issued a tough criticism of Birmingham City Council.

He accused the council of a "serious failure" in supporting schools in protecting children from extremism - and attacked them for a "lack of urgency" in tackling concerns about how schools were being governed.

In a hard-hitting statement, Sir Michael warned that there had been a "sudden and steep decline in these schools" - and that the inspections and talks with head teachers revealed evidence of "grave concern".

"Governors are exerting far more influence than is appropriate or acceptable," he said.

Among the examples from an inspection of Nansen primary school is that school governors insisted on vetting a nativity play script and banned the use of a doll as baby Jesus.

Head teachers were being "undermined" and the curriculum was being narrowed to reflect the "personal views of a few governors".

"Some teachers reported that they were treated unfairly because of their gender or religious beliefs," he said.

Inspections have raised concerns about an exclusively Muslim culture in non-faith schools and Sir Michael says children are not being encouraged to "develop tolerant attitudes towards other faiths".

The recommendations from Sir Michael include:

• "Professional governors" where existing governors are weak
• Mandatory training and register of interests for governors
• Examine how the governance of free schools and academies is monitored
• Review the current exemption from routine inspections for outstanding schools
• Review whistleblowing procedures

'No extremism'

There has been an angry reaction from Park View School, which was found to be outstanding by inspectors two years ago and which is now found to be inadequate in all categories.

David Hughes, vice chairman of the academy trust, said there was no extremism.

"The Ofsted reports found absolutely no evidence of this because this is categorically not what is happening at our schools."

Mr Hughes attacked the "knee-jerk reaction of politicians" - and warned that Muslim pupils could be left believing that they did not have equal rights.

Lee Donaghy, assistant principal at Park View, said that the school was "part of the solution, not part of the problem".

He said it represented a "beacon of hope" against problems such as poverty, drugs and crime.

The National Union of Teachers says: "There seems to be a redefinition of 'extremism' from the secretary of state for education, and as yet lots of speculation and not a little hyperbole."

Segregation

Inspection reports from Ofsted and the Education Funding Agency have been widely leaked - and these include claims that there has been evidence that schools had in some areas "taken the Islamic focus too far".

David Cameron has suggested inspections without any prior warning

The reports found that girls and boys had been segregated in some classes and that in RE lessons some pupils studying Christian units in a GCSE paper had had to teach themselves.

In other developments:

• Prime Minister David Cameron has chaired a meeting of the government's extremism taskforce - attended by Home Secretary Theresa May and Education Secretary Michael Gove
• Mr Cameron wants to investigate the idea of inspections without any prior warnings for schools
• Mr Gove is also set to address the House of Commons, telling reporters he would make "a very important statement"
• It comes after a row between the home secretary and the education secretary last week, which led to the resignation of Ms May's special adviser and an apology from Mr Gove
• Downing Street has since said Ms May did not know about the decision to publish a letter attacking Mr Gove over the handling of the allegations
• Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper has been granted an urgent question in parliament over Mrs May's actions
• Birmingham Perry Barr Labour MP Khalid Mahmood meanwhile said it was vital that the inquiries dealt with everyone who had "manipulated what schools are there to do"
• A separate inspection by Ofsted also found a Luton school does not "promote tolerance" and has books suggesting stoning and lashing as appropriate punishments.

Head teachers' leader Brian Lightman said: "Extremism of any kind has no place in education."

But he warned that the "constant cycle of leaks and accusations over the last few weeks will have been demoralising and damaging for students and staff caught up in this ongoing drama".