Education standards attacked by Ofsted

Around half of schools across the West Midlands visited by inspectors in the last six months are giving children nothing better than a "satisfactory" education, Ofsted figures reveal today.

Thirty-one schools inspected across the Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire between September 1 last year and March 31this year were rated as "inadequate" overall.

A total of 238 inspections were carried out across Wolverhampton, Walsall, Sandwell, Dudley, Staffordshire and Birmingham.

Of these, 26 schools - or 11 per cent - were rated as "outstanding", while 83 schools were found to be "good".

But 98 schools were found to be meeting "satisfactory" standards of education, with 13 per cent of schools inspected rated as "inadequate".

Inspections carried out in the first two terms were done under a new framework introduced in September last year.

Nationally, figures show that nearly one in 10 schools were declared inadequate, while almost half of schools in England are not offering what Ofsted deems a good education overall.

But throughout all the 2008-09 year, just four per cent of schools in the country were declared inadequate — which has more than doubled in two terms under the new framework.

In Wolverhampton, four schools were rated outstanding, nine good, eight satisfactory and four inadequate.

In Walsall, two were outstanding, five good, 13 satisfactory and four inadequate.

Sandwell had three outstanding, 12 good, nine satisfactory and six inadequate.

In Dudley, two were outstanding, eight good, seven satisfactory and five inadequate.

Staffordshire had nine outstanding, 23 good, 24 satisfactory and four inadequate.

Birmingham had six outstanding, 26 good, 37 satisfactory and eight inadequate.