Sir Michael Wilshaw Filmed In Pub Confrontation With Striking Sixth Form Teachers
Ofsted chief caught on camera revealing why he 'got into a lot of trouble' with the DfE to union representative
- by Teachwire
A video has come to light showing what happened when Sir Michael Wilshaw entered a pub in London last month and found himself confronted by a group of striking sixth form teachers.
The five minute video, originally posted by the London-based video collective Reel News and subsequently picked up by the TES, shows the Chief Inspector involved in a frank exchange of views with Ken Muller, assistant secretary of Islington NUT, who starts by telling Wilshaw that, ‘Islington Green School [now the City of London Academy Islington] was trashed by Ofsted,’ despite being ‘A good school with good teachers doing well in difficult circumstances’.
The two then proceed to discuss the issue of accountability in schools, with Wilshaw stating that ‘Children failed in 70s and 80 because the ‘System wasn’t accountable enough’.
When Muller points to the poor Ofsted report given to the STEM Academy Tech City free school [now Tech City College], Wilshaw refers him to the letter he wrote to Nicky Morgan in March this year, in which he highlighted ‘serious weaknesses’ at seven multi-academy trusts – noting, ‘I got into a lot of trouble with the Department over that…That was a very uncomfortable thing to do, given what this government is trying to do, but I did it.’
There then follows a further disagreement when Muller describes Ofsted as ‘The mailed fist of government education policy’ – prompting Wilshaw to remark ‘I resent the implication that I don’t stand up for children’s rights.’
The video ends with Wilshaw concluding that, ”Things are far from great, but they’re better than they were,’ before leaving.
