Plan B Forum

A high-performing primary school has missed out on Ofsted’s top grade after being judged too English.



Pupils at the rural primary lacked ‘first-hand experience of the diverse make-up of modern British society’, declared the watchdog.

However, around 97 per cent of the population in the town to which the school belongs are white.
Ofsted refused it an ‘outstanding’ rating and graded it ‘good’ instead.

It said the school was failing to do enough to ensure pupils understand the ‘cultural diversity of modern British society’ and experience ‘first-hand interaction with counterparts from different backgrounds’.

But parents complained Middle Rasen Primary in Market Rasen was being punished for factors outside its control and had effectively been told it was ‘too English’.

The row is the latest controversy over new rules on teaching ‘British values’ introduced in the wake of the Trojan Horse scandal, in which Muslim extremists tried to infiltrate schools in Birmingham.

Schools are required to ‘actively promote’ British values such as democracy, tolerance, mutual respect, individual liberty and the rule of law.

However the rules – and Ofsted’s enforcement of them – have brought criticism from some schools and faith groups. A Christian school in Reading says it was warned it could face closure for failing to invite imams and other religious leaders to take assemblies.

In another case, a Roman Catholic school in East Anglia was marked down for failing to do enough to ‘teach students about the dangers of extremism and radicalisation’, although the report was later withdrawn.

The 104-pupil Middle Rasen Primary, in the town of Market Rasen on the edge of the Lincolnshire wolds, was inspected last month.

Ofsted praised it for high standards of teaching and leadership and the courteous and enthusiastic behaviour of pupils. But the inspector said: ‘The large majority of pupils are White British. Very few are from other ethnic groups, and currently no pupils speak English as an additional language.’

It said the school should ‘extend pupils’ understanding of the cultural diversity of modern British society by creating opportunities for them to have first-hand interaction with their counterparts from different backgrounds’.

A headteacher has been criticised for taking the 'appalling' decision to go to Africa for almost a month during term-time.



Lyn Corderoy, headteacher at Grange Primary School in Wickford, Essex, has flown off to Ghana despite parents facing a £60 fine for unauthorised absence during term-time.

Her school, which is rated good by Ofsted but its pupils are below average for English, is taking part in a project to help children in Africa with literacy.

Last year only 65 per cent of her pupils attained the desired national standard for grammar, punctuation and spelling.

Parents have turned on Miss Corderoy, who is taking the time as unpaid leave and accused of 'double standards'.

In Essex, where the school is, more than 500 people a year are fined in this way.

But the school have said her trip is 'vitally important'.

Susan Godfrey, 46, from Wickford, said: 'I think it's absolutely appalling.

'How is the headteacher allowed to go away for such a long time during term-time? There are parents waiting on decisions she has made and she is not even there.'

Charlotte Worton, 26, from Pitsea, Essex, added: 'I think it's absolutely unfair headteachers can go in term-time.

'It's unfair on the children. Their job is to look after the children during the term time. If they take time off, they're neglecting the children.'

Alan Ball, local UKIP councillor, said he also had concerns about the decision.

He said: 'I have not been made aware of it but it seems to be double standards.

'If you are not allowed to take children out of school and the headteacher disappears for a month, it seems to be double standards to me.