Hands off independent schools, head warns

The headmaster of a top independent school has given the Government a blunt warning to keep its hands off private education.

Bernard Trafford, chairman of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference (HMC) – which represents 250 of the leading traditionally boys' only schools – spoke of a twin threat posed by ministers.

The first came from a plan – under discussion – to put Ofsted, the education standards watchdog, in charge of registering and regulating private schools.

Speaking at the conference in Bournemouth, Dr Trafford, the headmaster of Wolverhampton Grammar school, described Ofsted – which already monitors independent school inspections – as the Government's "rottweiler" and said the proposal was causing "great concern".

"It is simply not acceptable to suggest that Ofsted should be both judge and jury – monitoring our inspections as it does now but also registering and regulating our schools," he said.

"So we must say very firmly – hands off. We are independent. We operate independently."

The second threat came, he said, from the Government's independently sponsored academies, which are replacing struggling inner city schools. With Lord Adonis, the Schools minister, preparing to launch a prospectus aimed at encouraging independent schools to back academies this morning, Dr Trafford acknowledged that the opening of an academy could pose "a real threat".

"They are now a major part of the UK educational landscape," he added.

"Many HMC schools, or their foundations, are keen to be involved – as sponsors or just as good neighbours and partners. For others, an academy on the doorstep is a real threat."

He cautioned that academies were not "truly independent" as they had by law to teach the core curriculum of the three Rs and information technology.

Dr Trafford also warned that the "politics of envy" was "alive and well" – as witnessed by the debate over private schools' charitable status.

"We're damned if we don't do good works and we're damned if we do – because if we do, it is suggested we're only doing it to keep the Charity Commission off our backs," he said.

Officials at the Department for Children, Schools and Families indicated the proposal to give Ofsted more powers over independent schools was "purely administrative".