The Advice Note

Excerpts, Letter from OFSTED (the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Service and Skills) to HMG's Minister for Education Michael Gove, dated June 9, 2014.

Advice note provided on academies and maintained schools in Birmingham
to the Secretary of State for Education, Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, as
commissioned by letter dated 27 March 2014 

* * *

Main findings

 A culture of fear and intimidation has developed in some of the schools since
their previous inspection. Some headteachers, including those with a proud
record of raising standards, said that they have been marginalised or forced
out of their jobs. As a result, some schools previously judged to be good or
outstanding have experienced high levels of staff turbulence, low staff morale
and a rapid decline in their overall effectiveness.
 Some headteachers reported that there has been an organised campaign to
target certain schools in Birmingham in order to alter their character and
ethos.
 The evidence shows that governors have recently exerted inappropriate
influence on policy and the day-to-day running of several schools in
Birmingham. In other schools, leaders have struggled to resist attempts by
governing bodies to use their powers to change the school in line with
governors’ personal views.
 Birmingham City Council has failed to support a number of schools in their
efforts to keep pupils safe from the potential risks of radicalisation and
extremism. It has not dealt adequately with complaints from headteachers
about the conduct of governors.
 Her Majesty’s Inspectors identified breaches of funding agreements in a
number of academies.
 In several of the schools inspected, children are being badly prepared for life
in modern Britain.

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1. A culture of fear and intimidation has developed in some of the
schools since their previous inspection.
a) Some headteachers, including those with a proud record of raising
standards, said that they have been marginalised or forced out of their
jobs. As a result, some schools previously judged to be good or
outstanding have experienced high levels of staff turbulence, low staff
morale and a rapid decline in their overall effectiveness.
b) In several schools, there has been a breakdown in trust between
governors and staff, including senior staff. Many staff and some
headteachers told Her Majesty’s Inspectors that they were frightened of
expressing views contrary to those promoted by governors. Some staff
said that they were fearful of losing their jobs or being blocked from
promotion if they spoke out against the changes that were being pursued.
In one instance, a school leader was so anxious about the consequences
of speaking to Her Majesty’s Inspectors that a meeting had to be arranged
in a supermarket car park.
c) Staff and some headteachers variously described feeling ‘intimidated’,
‘undermined’ or ‘bullied’ by governors, and sometimes by senior staff, into
making changes they did not support. Others testified that they have been
treated unfairly because of their gender or religious belief. For example, in
one school, female members of staff complained to Her Majesty’s
Inspectors that they were intimidated by the way some male members of
the school community spoke to them. 

* * *

5. In several of the schools inspected, children are being badly
prepared for life in modern Britain.
a. Although the test and examination results in many of the schools were
good or improving, the curriculum has become too narrow and pupils are
not being prepared well enough for life in modern Britain. It is my view
that the active promotion of a narrow set of values and beliefs in some of
the schools is making children vulnerable to segregation and emotional
dislocation from wider society.
b. Often, the curriculum, culture and values now promoted in these schools
reflect the personal views of a small number of governors. However, they
do not reflect those of the wider community in Birmingham and beyond.
They do not ensure that a broad and balanced curriculum equips pupils to
live and work in a multi-cultural, multi-faith and democratic Britain. As a
result, children are not being encouraged to develop tolerant attitudes
towards all faiths and all cultures.
c. In several schools, pupils’ experiences are being restricted rather than
broadened. For example, in one school, there are separate faith-based
singing clubs. In another, music has been removed from the curriculum
against the wishes of the children. In this school, pupils have few
opportunities to study different European languages other than English.
d. I am also concerned that in a few schools boys and girls are not being
treated equally. For example, in one school, some members of staff
actively discourage girls from speaking to boys and from taking part in
extra-curricular visits and activities. In this school, boys and girls are also
taught separately in religious education and personal development lessons. 

When the Left began their long march through the instititutions, no doubt they had illusions about what was to come, illusions which are now being crushed on this reality.  No doubt they also had no idea that their own wildly-successful tactic would be used against them.