Rawdon school could be blueprint for others, says chief inspector

Mr Woodhead, the chief inspector of education watchdog Ofsted, said although he was not specifically visiting Benton Park School on a 'fact-finding' mission, he would take back some of the school's best points from his visit last Thursday.

He said he would like to see more Ofsted-commended schools like Benton Park setting an example for other institutions.

As well as touring the school to get a closer look at its good practice, Mr Woodhead faced questioning on a number of contentious education issues from staff and sixth-form students at the school. He said the school was recommended to him for a visit while he was visiting a school in Sheffield.

Mr Woodhead, a former English literature teacher, said: "I think it's really important that I get out, and don't sit in my office in London. I shall talk to both politicians and officials at the Department of Education. I do talk to a lot of teachers and students, whatever else people criticise me for."

Staff and pupils at Benton Park also seized the opportunity to quiz Mr Woodhead about education issues.

Sixth-formers asked about the link between students paying for university course fees and the number of young people going into higher education, and teachers asked why schools in inner-city areas are more successful in gaining extra funding than schools such as Benton Park.

Mr Woodhead also spoke out on Leeds' education crisis and the removal of Leeds City Council's control over local education.

He denied there was any political involvement in Ofsted's critical report of the Leeds education authority.

"I refute absolutely allegations of a prior agenda or any kind of political motivation," he said.

Mr Woodhead said the decision to take schools out of education authority control was made by the Secretary of State, not Ofsted.

l ABOVE: Mr Woodhead and some of the pupils at Benton Park School.

Picture by Adrian Murray (040-37AM)