09 July 2014

Trojan horse plot in Birmingham schools was 'planned and orchestrated' to radicalise pupils, says Ofsted chief Michael Wilshaw

.... Speaking to MPs on the Education Select Committee this morning, Sir Michael was asked to explain what evidence there was that previously 'outstanding' schools had been targeted by Islamic extremists.

He said: 'I spoke to eight or nine head teachers. They believed it was planned and orchestrated.

'They believed people got together and decided which schools to target. They believed there was a strategy to infiltrate governing bodies.

'They believed governing boards couldn't take place in the normal way. They believed all that was planned and orchestrated. This was all in Birmingham.'

.... The Ofsted chief inspector told MPs: 'What we did see was the promotion of a culture, which if that promotion had continued would have exposed these children to extremism.'

He added: 'What we did see was governors coming into schools to move staff and for governors of the school to promote their ideas. It was distressing for me as an ex-headteacher to see teachers being treated that way.' [Daily Mail] Read more