Spot-checks planned for bad-behaviour schools

Ofsted yesterday said it was to begin trialling no-notice “monitoring visits” at schools rated satisfactory that struggled with unruly pupils.

But headteachers warned the move would not help to deal with behaviour issues, and instead assumed that schools had something to hide.

Unannounced checks “smack of a culture which seeks to catch schools out”, Brian Lightman, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) said.

Ofsted said the trial would help decide whether no notice visits gave a clearer picture of behaviour in schools.

Concerns have previously been raised that schools hide naughty pupils from inspectors during visits.

Currently, schools usually get a short period of notice before an Ofsted inspection.

Education Secretary Michael Gove has warned that schools are still suffering from “a real behaviour problem”, adding that, in some cases poor teachers and naughty pupils have been asked by schools to stay at home on Ofsted inspection days.

Mr Lightman said school leaders had no problem with Ofsted putting more emphasis on behaviour. He said: “I am pleased that Ofsted has said it wants to ‘do more to help schools address behaviour problems’.

“ASCL has long been encouraging Ofsted to move toward a culture of support, rather than threats and sanctions.”

But he added: “It is difficult to see how no notice monitoring visits will help achieve this, as the implicit assumption is that schools have something to hide.

“This pilot smacks of a culture which seeks to catch schools out, rather than make an informed judgment based on professional assessment.

“The suggestion that schools are somehow able to ‘hide’ badly behaved children from inspections with the current notice period of one or two days is ridiculous.”