Minister moves to placate furious chief inspector

It comes after a series of leaks suggests that there is a DfE-led campaign against Sir Michael Wilshaw, the chief inspector of schools.

Two think-tanks – Civitas and Policy Exchange – are understood to be preparing reports that are expected to be highly critical of the current school inspection regime, one of which it is rumoured will call for Ofsted to be abolished altogether.

Sir Michael, who was appointed by Mr Gove in 2012, said in a newspaper interview last weekend that he was “spitting blood” about the situation and blamed the DfE for briefing against him ahead of the reports.

However, as SecEd was going to press this week, Mr Gove was swift to deny that his department was conspiring against Sir Michael, saying in a statement that the chief inspector was a “superb professional” and “outstanding”, and was making the changes Ofsted needed to help raise standards.