THURROCK schools which cheat the system by entering children for easy GCSEs face a fresh crackdown, announced the new Ofsted chief reports the Daily Telegraph.
Amanda Spielman used her first key note speech as chief inspector of schools in England to warn that the situation in some schools is “nothing short of a scandal”.
The head of the watchdog used her address to the Association of School and College Leaders’ annual conference to announce a major Ofsted investigation into how schools are ensuring that children receive a broad education.
Pressure to succeed in league tables is leading some schools to narrow the national curriculum and “move out” pupils who threaten to bring down results, she will claim.
The announcement follows a warning from Ofsted earlier this month that an increasing number of schools are entering pupils for non-academic qualifications, which aren’t in the best interests of pupils, in order to boost their performance data.
Ms Spielman said: “We know that there are some schools that are narrowing the curriculum, using qualifications inappropriately, and moving out pupils who would drag down results.
She also made clear that she does not believe the curriculum has received enough attention during inspections in recent years. Inspectors will carry out fieldwork for the investigation over the next few months, before the final report is published later in the year.
