CRE: Ofsted "failing" children from ethnic backgrounds

He acknowledged, however, that his inspectors needed racial awareness training and said that was due to begin this autumn.

CRE chairman Gurbux Singh said it was crucial that Ofsted take its responsibilities seriously.

He said the body would be a "vital tool" in helping implement legislation going through Parliament which placed a duty on the public sector to work for racial equality.

Among 31 recommendations aimed at Ofsted, the government and schools, the report urged ministers to give heads more money for ethnic monitoring and publicise Ofsted's new role.

Woodhead 'too busy'

It was based on interviews with inspectors, heads and 30 Ofsted reports in three local education authorities in England.

The CRE report also recommended:

• Ofsted reports should include comments on racial equality in the section sent to parents
  
• race awareness training should be updated
  
• Ofsted should pay for interpreters when parents at pre-inspection meetings did not speak English.

The authors said they found most inspectors and head teachers did not appear to know about Ofsted's enhanced role following Macpherson.

They asked for an interview with Mr Woodhead while researching the report, but were told he was "too busy" to see them.

In a letter to Mr Woodhead, one of the authors, Professor Audrey Osler of Leicester University, asked whether Ofsted had sent out written guidance on its post-Macpherson role to inspectors.

'Surprised'

He replied: "We do not rely on paper communication in Ofsted. Important issues are always a matter for discussion in division meetings."

Professor Osler also said one senior inspector had remarked: "Race equality is not a priority. Our priority is underachieving white boys."

Mr Woodhead reponded by saying he was surprised at the alleged statement.

"Our priority is underachievement, full stop," he said.

Another finding was that in more than 10,000 reports, the terms "racial equality" or "race equality" appeared in 0.25%.

Ofsted defended

But the word "bullying" appeared in 17% of the reports.

Mr Woodhead's response was that the words searched for "happen not to be the words used in the inspection framework".

"Our new framework, which the CRE have largely ignored, is geared-up, post-Macpherson to monitor how effectively schools ensure that pupils from ethnic minority backgrounds achieve their potential," he added.