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| Ofsted has power to inspect academy chains, say Morgan | Ofsted has power to inspect academy chains, say Morgan |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Education Secretary Nicky Morgan has publicly contradicted the head of Ofsted over whether the watchdog has the right to inspect academy chains. | Education Secretary Nicky Morgan has publicly contradicted the head of Ofsted over whether the watchdog has the right to inspect academy chains. |
| Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw has often called for his organisation to be given additional powers to inspect and grade the management of academy chains. | Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw has often called for his organisation to be given additional powers to inspect and grade the management of academy chains. |
| But Ms Morgan said inspectors already had the power to inspect these bodies. | But Ms Morgan said inspectors already had the power to inspect these bodies. |
| More than half of secondary schools in England are now academies, operating outside local authority control. | More than half of secondary schools in England are now academies, operating outside local authority control. |
| Appearing before the Education Select Committee on Wednesday, Ms Morgan said she disagreed with the chief inspector over the powers he had to inspect. | Appearing before the Education Select Committee on Wednesday, Ms Morgan said she disagreed with the chief inspector over the powers he had to inspect. |
| She said she was satisfied that inspectors could inspect the constituent parts of academy chains. | She said she was satisfied that inspectors could inspect the constituent parts of academy chains. |
| "Well I think he [Sir Michael Wilshaw] does have the power to look at support and governance arrangements of the chain, of the sponsor of a chain," she told MPs. | |
| Pushed on the point that Sir Michael said he did not have those powers, Ms Morgan said that he did and could pass judgement. | |
| "I am satisfied they [Ofsted] can inspect constituent parts, they can particularly inspect school governance and support that chains are offering to schools within the chain. They can also do batch inspections." | |
| She added: "I think it's very, very simple, you see from the reports Ofsted have already produced on some of the academy sponsors - they are able, they have the powers to inspect the support that that sponsor is giving to the schools within its chain. | |
| "They have the powers. I'm not in the business of producing more legislation to do something that the inspectorate can already do." | |
| Sir Michael has written to the committee of MPs to express his concerns. | |
| In a report published in November last year, the Education Select Committee said Ofsted should be given powers to inspect organisations that run chains of academies. | In a report published in November last year, the Education Select Committee said Ofsted should be given powers to inspect organisations that run chains of academies. |