A Tory MP has launched a scathing attack on Ofsted, accusing a “rogue” inspection “hit squad” of engineering a downgrade of the school his child attends.
Philip Hollobone claimed the team sent to inspect Bishop Stopford School in his Kettering constituency in June 2022 had a “prearranged agenda”.
After raising his concerns in a parliamentary debate on Tuesday, the MP was offered a meeting with the watchdog’s chief inspector Amanda Spielman.
In the inspection report, published last month, the school was rated as ‘requires improvement’, an outcome its headteacher described as “extremely disappointing”.
The Church of England school, rated ‘outstanding’ in its last inspection in 2008, converted to a single-academy trust in 2011 and was not reinspected until the government removed the exemption for top-rated schools last year.
Hollobone said his claims were based on “evidence” from the school’s head, deputy head and pupils.
