Schools cannot be expected to address complex societal concerns such as childhood obesity, Ofsted’s chief inspector is expected to say at a conference today.

Amanda Spielman is due to talk at the Bryanston Education Summit in Dorset today.

She is expected to say that there is no doubt that childhood obesity is a “serious public health challenge” but that a “blunt response” will not solve obesity, which is a complex societal issue.

She is due to say: “I almost choked on my metaphorical cornflakes when I read the suggestion that inspectors should start taking account of children’s weight in judging schools.

“Visions of inspectors wandering around with portable weighing scales are not particularly appealing.”

‘It can’t all fall to schools’

And she will add that expecting schools to address every societal concern risks schools losing their focus on the basics of a good and rigorous education.

Ms Spielman is due to add: “There are a great many pressing public policy concerns affecting young people. Many undoubtedly require government intervention and multifaceted solutions. But they cannot all fall to schools, and they often are completely inappropriate for measuring at inspection.

“I use obesity to illustrate the point, but there are countless other examples of where schools are expected to address every one of society’s ills and inspection is supposed to be the tool to ensure they do it.”

She is expected to say that Ofsted may have a role to play in highlighting the role that schools can play in tackling such issues - but through research rather than routine inspection.