---
title: "After the &#8220;Trojan Horse&#8221; scandal, Ofsted announces snap inspections of schools"
date: "2014-09-16T11:18:55+01:00"
modified: "2014-09-16T11:18:55+01:00"
url: "https://rationalists.org.uk/2014/09/16/after-the-trojan-horse-scandal-ofsted-announces-snap-inspections-of-schools/"
post_id: 6282
categories: ["Uncategorised"]
---

# After the “Trojan Horse” scandal, Ofsted announces snap inspections of schools

Earlier this year, it was alleged that some schools in Birmingham were being taken over by groups with a hard line Muslim ethos. (The latest issue of the *New Humanist* contains [a long report on this controversy](/articles/4731/schools-for-scandal)). Some of the schools at the centre of the “Trojan Horse” scandal were previously rated “outstanding” by Ofsted, but were downgraded to “special measures” after emergency inspections. The schools’ inspectors (and a subsequent government inquiry) found that these schools were failing to provide a broad and balanced curriculum, and were subject to poor governance.

Now, Ofsted has announced that 40 schools across England will be subject to [“no notice” inspections](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-29206088) over the next fortnight. This reflects concerns raised about Ofsted in the aftermath of the Trojan Horse controversy; there were calls to shift to inspections without prior notice to guard against schools changing their behaviour when inspectors were present. The new wave of snap inspections will take place under existing powers and will not be focused on a particular region.

But the 40 inspections will also be used to test how feasible it would be to introduce no notice inspections more broadly. Sir Michael Wilshaw, the head of Ofsted, suggested the policy could be broadened – and that in the meantime, existing powers allow rapid inspections of schools where there might be a threat of “radicalisation”, poor governance, or unbalanced curricula:

> “I’m currently giving thought to whether Ofsted should move to more routine, no-notice inspections as part of our wider education inspection reforms, which we will be consulting on later this year.
> 
> “In the meantime, under our regional structure, inspectors are well-placed to use their local knowledge and contacts to identify where these sorts of problems may be taking hold so we can respond swiftly and report publicly on what we find.”

Ofsted also announced that last week, inspectors returned to the five Birmingham schools placed in “special measures” after the inquiry. The outcome of these new inspections will be published soon.