Ofsted boss Amanda Spielman has hit back at claims that the inspection system is biased against schools serving white working class communities.
The chief schools inspector suggested that these communities can “lack the aspiration and drive seen in many migrant communities” and acknowledged that schools in these areas have a harder job to do than others.
However Ms Spielman told the Festival of Education today that Ofsted was not biased against them.
She said that overall effectiveness of a school is not an effort grade and inspectors had to report on the quality of education as they see it.
Last week data emerged from Ofsted which suggested white pupils from the most disadvantaged backgrounds were more likely to go to a failing school than the most deprived ethnic minority pupils.
Critics claimed this showed the inspectorate was unable to take the challenges these schools face into account when judging them.
Ms Spielman said: “Our job is to report without fear or favour on the quality of education as we see it in these areas.
“That is explicitly not the same as saying that teachers in these areas are putting in any less effort or that the leadership is worse.
“There is no doubt that these schools have a harder job to do than others.
“And we should be just as interested in why some schools in more affluent areas aren’t doing better. I have nothing but admiration for the teachers who make it their mission to tackle disadvantage. But the overall effectiveness of a school is not an effort grade.”
She said that inspection judgements can act as a “call for action in these areas - a call for the right kind of support and intervention.”
However, her comments this afternoon have already attracted criticism from a teaching union leader.
Mary Bousted, the joint general secretary of the NEU teaching union, said: “Amanda Spielman appears to be flailing about, looking desperately for others to blame for Ofsted’s systematic bias against the schools which serve disadvantaged communities.
“Ofsted compounds the difficulties these schools face in recruiting teachers, particularly in shortage subjects like science and maths.
“For teachers and school leaders, the stress of working in very challenging circumstances is worsened by the ever-present threat of an Ofsted inspection which is disproportionately likely to award them a failing grade.”
Earlier this year a study found that the Progress 8 performance measure was penalising schools in white working class communities.
During her speech this afternoon, Ms Spielman also outlined plans to tackle poor pupil behaviour by asking lunchtime supervisors what is really going on in schools.
