Ofsted chief accuses minority groups of ‘entitlement’ in hijab row
by Sally Weale, Guardian:
Amanda Spielman says school leaders must resist pressure on issues such as the headscarf.
The head of Ofsted has again stepped into the debate over the wearing of the hijab by primary school pupils, accusing minority groups with a “sense of religious or cultural entitlement” of attempting to exert an outsize influence on school policy.
In a speech on Monday evening, Amanda Spielman urged school leaders to resist pressure on issues such as what children should wear or what is taught to pupils.
She highlighted a “worrying” trend in schools where headteachers were being lobbied by groups seeking to influence school policy “whether or not members of that group constitute the majority of a school’s intake”.
The importance of teaching British values in schools has become a familiar theme in the 18 months since Spielman became Ofsted chief inspector. In her latest intervention, she urged headteachers to step up their efforts so children learn about democracy and civil society, rather than leaving a vacuum that can be filled by extremist groups.
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