Ofsted Report On Calderdale

EDM number 633 in 1996-97, proposed by Alice Mahon on 10/03/1997.

That this House totally rejects the Secretary of State for Education's claim that Calderdale Local Education Authority 'is failing to provide adequate support for its schools'; believes her cynical use of the OFSTED report is at complete odds with the conclusions in the report; condemns the way the Secretary of State slashed the timetable and manipulated the procedures for the political expediency; notes that Calderdale has only one failed school, as do 67 other local education authorities and that Norfolk has seven; further notes that Calderdale spends more money per pupils and has better GCSE results than most authorities in Yorkshire; deplores the part played in this piece of political chicanery by the Chief Inspector Chris Woodhead; believes he and this report have discredited OFSTED; and calls for his immediate resignation since such politically biased criticism without any evidence damages Calderdale, its children and the future prosperity of the area.

This motion has been signed by a total of 40 MPs.