Spot checks in private sector

Private schools could face unannounced inspections under a shake-up of the system, Ofsted said yesterday.

Under the plans, fee-paying schools will be rated on their pupils' attainment. This would affect around 1,000 private schools in England. The rest are overseen by independent inspection bodies.

Under the current system, private schools are given two days' notice of an inspection, but Ofsted wants inspectors to be able to turn up unannounced.

There are already plans to introduce no-notice inspections in the state sector. A pilot system is due to start in September.