- Birmingham schools had previously been rated 'good or outstanding'
- But special Ofsted inquiry exposes 'culture of fear and intimidation'
- Hardline governors were wielding 'inappropriate influence' over schools
- Comes after Cameron demands 'dawn raid' inspections on schools
- Chief Inspector of Schools Sir Michael Wilshaw asked to investigate plan
- 21 Birmingham schools have allegedly been infiltrated by Islamic extremists
- But schools heads this morning attacked the findings as politically motivated
School inspectors today placed five Birmingham schools in special measures in the wake of 'Trojan Horse' allegations that hardline Muslims were trying to radicalise school children.
In a bombshell report Ofsted found a 'culture of fear and intimidation' had developed in some schools in the city - and, in several, governors exerted 'inappropriate influence' over how they are being run.
In an advice note to Education Secretary Michael Gove outlining the findings, Ofsted chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw also warned that Birmingham City Council had failed to support a number of schools in their efforts to protect pupils from the 'risks of radicalisation and extremism'.
Education Secretary Michael Gove arrived at Downing Street this morning ahead of a Commons statement over the 'Trojan schools' scandal. Mr Gove and and Home Secretary
Theresa May were both called to attend a meeting at Number 10 with the Prime Minister David Cameron.
Some headteachers told inspectors that there had been an organised campaign to target certain schools in the city to change their 'character and ethos', Sir Michael said.
He concluded: 'In several of the schools inspected, children are being badly prepared for life in modern Britain.'
Ofsted today published the findings of its visits to 21 schools, all inspected after a letter - now widely believed to be a hoax - came to light, which referred to an alleged plot by hardline Muslims to seize control of a number of school governing boards in Birmingham.
The five placed in special measures as a result of the recent inspections are Golden Hillock School, Nansen Primary School, Park View Academy - all run by the Park View Educational Trust - Oldknow Academy and Saltley School. A sixth - Alston Primary - was already in special measures.
The three schools run by the Park View Educational Trust were attacked by inspectors for restricting its curriculum to a 'conservative Islamic perspective'.
The Trust's governors even insisted on vetting a nativity play at Nansen Primary School - then banned the use of a doll as baby Jesus, according to inspectors.
The report found pupils risked 'cultural isolation' and had a 'limited knowledge of religious beliefs other than Islam'.
Inspectors said music and art had been cut from the timetable 'at the insistence of the governing body'.
Ofsted also found pupils' understanding of UK traditions, culture and beliefs were not being properly developed and children were not being adequately prepared for life in modern Britain.
Inspectors were also critical of the 'over-controlling' governors interfering in the daily running of the school.
'For example, when teachers wanted pupils to take part in a nativity play, governors insisted on vetting a copy of the script for its suitability and told staff they must not use a doll as the Baby Jesus,'
It also noted external speakers were not properly vetted, including those who 'speak to students as part of a programme of Islamic-themed assemblies'.
A separate report following the inspection of Oldknow Academy in Small Heath found it was 'taking on the practices of an Islamic faith school' and had excluded non-Muslim staff and pupils from an annual trip to Saudi Arabia for three years running.
The original Trojan Horse letter, which was unsigned, undated and first sent to council officials and teaching unions late last year, has sparked several separate investigations, including inquiries by Birmingham City Council, West Midlands Police, the Department for Education (DfE) and Ofsted.
The scandal sparked a furious Cabinet row between Home Secretary Theresa May and the Education Secretary Michael Gove over how to tackle Islamic extremism in schools.
But David Hughes, vice-chair of Park View Educational Trust - which runs three of the schools at the centre of the row - this morning said his schools did not 'tolerate or promote extremism' and rejected Ofsted's findings.
The Trust will be seeking to mount a legal challenge to the judgements, he added. Mr Hughes said: 'We wholeheartedly dispute the validity of these gradings. Park View, Golden Hillock and Nansens are categorically not inadequate schools.
'Our Ofsted inspections were ordered in a climate of suspicion, created by the hoax Trojan letter and by the anonymous unproven allegations about our schools in the media.
'Ofsted inspectors came to our schools looking for extremism, looking for segregation, looking for proof that our children have religion forced upon them as part of an Islamic plot.'
Lee Donaghey, assistant principal at Park View School, told a news conference: 'It is simply not true that the school does not do enough to protect our pupils from the risks of extremism.
He added: 'It is also simply not true that pupils at this school are isolated from British society.'
Education Secretary Michael Gove will today set out tough new powers that could also see teachers and governors who undermine ‘fundamental British values’ barred from every school in the country.
Five of the schools slammed by inspectors - including Oldknow Academy and Park View School - were previously judged as good or outstanding by Ofsted, but have now been rated inadequate following an investigation sparked by the so-called Trojan Horse allegations.
Ministers say this is precisely why advance notice inspections must be stopped.
Following days of damaging rows at the heart of government, the Prime Minister today met senior ministers, including Mr Gove and Home Secretary Theresa May, to ensure progress is being made on tackling extremism in schools.
He has also instructed Mr Gove to ask Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Schools, Sir Michael Wilshaw, to report back on the practicalities of allowing any school to be inspected at no notice.
Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw (left) will be asked to consider 'dawn raid' style inspections of schools. Education Secretary Michael Gove, arriving at Downing Street for a crisis meeting this morning, has called for a harder line on fanatics using schools to push their beliefs
Baroness Warsi (left), a senior Foreign Office minister and the first Muslim Cabinet Minister, attended this morning's Downing Street meeting called by David Cameron over extremist schools. She was joined by the Communities Secretary Eric Pickles (right)
Intervention: David Cameron met senior ministers, including Home Secretary Theresa May (left) to ensure progress is being made on tackling extremism in schools. Mrs May's special advisor Fiona Cunningham (right) was forced to resign after briefing against the Education Secretary Michael Gove
Findings from the Education Funding Agency suggest that notice periods were used in schools in Birmingham to put on hastily arranged shows of cultural inclusion.
The Prime Minister said: ‘Protecting our children is one of the first duties of Government and that is why the issue of alleged Islamist extremism in Birmingham schools demands a robust response.
‘The Education Secretary will now ask Sir Michael Wilshaw to look into allowing any school to be inspected at no notice, stopping schools having the opportunity to cover up activities which have no place in our society.’
Mr Gove said: ‘Evidence uncovered in Birmingham clearly indicates that schools have used the notice they have been given of inspections to evade proper scrutiny.
'Our children need to be kept safe from the dangers of extremism and guaranteed a broad and balanced curriculum.’
There were protests outside Al-Hijrah School in Bordesley Green, Birmingham, this morning to stop inspectors visiting their school. This is the third week Birmingham City Council have tried to gain access to the school, but, have up to to today, have been denied access
Allegations: Park View School, which has allegedly been infiltrated by extremists, has been iven glowing reports and rated 'outstanding' by Ofsted in recent years
A leaked report speaks of alarm at language and teaching in Oldknow Junior School, Birmingham
Mr Cameron also said he was calling a special meeting of the Government’s Extremism Taskforce to discuss the implications arising from the findings of the Ofsted review and the wider situation in Birmingham.
This morning the former Education Secretary David Blunkett, who also served as Home Secretary, called for a cross-party review into the scandal.
He said: 'We do need a cross-party and I would suggest that the two committees – the Home Affairs Select Committee and the Education Select Committee – should set up a join review because this is a far bigger than a political party or an ideology of a particular minister.
'This is about the nature of the future of our society and our society does need an open, liberal curriculum that embraces all faiths and no faiths, that teaches children to think for themselves, to examine the evidence, to be able to come to decisions rather than having any ideology, any politics, any faith pushed down their throat and that is the nature of the type of education we want.'
Mr Gove is expected to say today that the five or more schools to be placed in special measures by Ofsted could have their governors and leadership teams removed.
Powers granted in February will allow him to impose an indefinite ban on anyone whose conduct has undermined ‘fundamental British values’, including ‘individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance or those with different faiths and beliefs’.
The Rev Oliver Coss, a governor at Regent's Park primary school, one of the 21 inspected, told BBC Breakfast that allegations were made that were 'completely untrue' after the departure of its head and deputy head teacher last year.
'Our school was named in a document which has become known as the Trojan Horse document, as being one where the head teacher and the deputy head teacher had been removed by an insurgency.
Those allegations we utterly rejected,' he said.
'I do think it is right that once criticisms or complaints are made about schools that we see them through and make sure we know that we have answers.'
SCHOOL GOVERNOR IN TROJAN 'PLOT' WAS OFSTED INSPECTOR
Tahir Alam worked as a governor at Park View school as well as an Ofsted inspector
The chairman of governors at the centre of the alleged Trojan Horse plot worked as an Ofsted inspector.
Tahir Alam has been implicated in the conspiracy involving the alleged takeover of state schools in Birmingham by Muslim hardliners.
The 45-year-old is chairman of governors at Park View School, one of 21 schools probed by the Ofsted.
The watchdog uses inspectors from three private contractors and Mr Alam’s name appears on a list published by Tribal.
The Tribal listing from January 2013 says Mr Alam has been working as an inspector since 2010.
Mr Alam has not worked for Tribal since May last year, but he is also listed by another contractor, CfBT, on a document dated October 2013.
It is understood that he has not undertaken inspections on behalf of Ofsted since this date.
In 2007, Mr Alam co-authored a document for the Muslim Council of Britain which called for state schools to ‘take account of Muslim sensitivities and sensibilities with respect to sexual morality’ with ‘girlfriend/boyfriend as well as homosexual relationships’ treated as ‘not acceptable practices according to Islamic teaching’.
Commenting on the wider inquiry, he said: 'There is a wide variety of allegations that have been made by a number of different groups and people and it is absolutely right that we get to the bottom of what is going on, so that people have confidence in saying that there is no extremism in Birmingham schools and that children are adequately protected from those risks.
'But I think there is a genuine risk of making it seem as though Islam is the same as extremism, or Islam is the same as terrorism, those things are categorically not true.
'It is very wise and very right that we should respect Islamic communities in east Birmingham, it is very right that we should allow that to be reflected in the culture of our schools because those things are good and noble and we want things that are good and noble celebrated in our schools.'
The Trojan Horse allegations came to light earlier this year after a letter emerged claiming existence of a plan for hard-line Muslims to seize control of schools by installing friendly governors, then forcing out uncooperative headteachers.
The letter is now regarded as a hoax, but prompted investigations by Ofsted and the Department for Education, under orders from Michael Gove as well as West Midlands Police.
Park View, Nansen Primary and Golden Hillock Schools are all expected to be given inadequate ratings and placed in special measures, with their governing boards replaced.
They are run by the Park View Educational Trust, which rejected the findings, pointing out that Ofsted found ‘no suggestion’ of extremism or radicalisation within classrooms.
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