The Accord Coalition has cautiously welcomed comments from the Shadow Secretary of State for Education, Tristram Hunt, that the Labour Party will seek to reform the scope of Ofsted school inspections and to require state funded schools to teach Sex and Relationships Education. During a set speech on Monday (August 18th) Dr Hunt made a range of commitments, including:
‘Our reform agenda will encompass much more – from Ofsted inspection of academy chains; … to compulsory sex and relationships education; … to implementing a ‘broad and balanced curriculum’ as a criterion for Ofsted inspection’.
Chair of the Accord Coalition, Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain, said ‘We welcome Tristram Hunt’s decision to re-examine the scope and methodology of Ofsted inspection and urge him to ensure that Ofsted considers the overall contribution of schools towards community cohesion. Since 2012 Ofsted has stopped considering whether schools take pro-active measures to better promote community cohesion, while at faith schools it does not look at the Religious Education provided. It has also never considered the impact upon cohesion that school’s pupil admissions and staff employment polices make.
‘His commitment to ensure schools teach age appropriate Sex and Relationships Education is welcome, but other anomalies in the curriculum have yet to be addressed, such as around RE. RE is not part the National Curriculum, with most faith schools free to determine what they teach, and many other schools giving the subject an increasingly lower priority. A commitment to a broad and balanced curriculum must address all schools needing to teach about the range of beliefs in society.
‘Dr Hunt was right in his speech to focus on the long term contribution that schools make towards Britain. If he really wishes them to prepare pupils for life in a diverse society, at ease with itself, then he must go further to ensure lasting change. His speech was a welcome first step.’