Sir Michael Wilshaw: We need ‘battle-axes’ for teachers to improve schools

We need “battle-axes” for teachers to improve state schools, Ofsted’s chief inspector has said, as he warned that student teachers were put off by “sloppy, scrappy” pupils.

Sir Michael Wilshaw argued that bright young teachers were also being put off the profession by poor leadership in schools.

In many secondary schools, inspectors still see scruffy pupils, sloppy worksheets instead of textbooks and low level disruption, the chief inspector said, arguing that if England wants to do as well as other nations, every secondary school needs to have a good atmosphere of scholarship.

Speaking during a panel debate at a Sutton Trust conference in London, Sir Michael also took aim at private schools, saying that they should lose their tax breaks if they fail to sponsor an academy.

Read his full report here. See also Council leaders ‘keep status quo’ for sake of adults not pupils, says schools minister