No-notice inspections planned after Birmingham schools reports

Any school in England could face an inspection without notice, the government has said, as it responds to the findings of investigations into allegations about several Birmingham schools.

The full results of Ofsted's inspections of 21 Birmingham schools are being published on 9 June. Ahead of their release, the Prime Minister, David Cameron, set out the steps the government is taking.

What the government is doing

The Education Secretary, Michael Gove, will ask the chief inspector of schools, Sir Michael Wilshaw, to report on how any school could be inspected at no notice. The government says findings from the Education Funding Agency suggest that some Birmingham schools used the notice they were given before inspections to put on hastily arranged displays of cultural inclusivity.

Previous inspections of five of the schools, carried out in 2012 and 2013 with one or two days' notice, rated them good or outstanding. This time, the schools were given 30 minutes' notice or less, and were found to be inadequate, the government said.

The Prime Minister has also called a special meeting of the government's Extremism Taskforce to discuss the findings. Ofsted has promised to keep a regular presence in Birmingham schools until the situation is resolved, with inspectors reporting directly to the Prime Minister and the Education Secretary.

"Protecting our children"

"Protecting our children is one of the first duties of government and that is why the issue of alleged Islamist extremism in Birmingham schools demands a robust response," Mr Cameron said.

Mr Gove said: "Our children need to be protected in schools, kept safe from the dangers of extremism and guaranteed a broad and balanced curriculum."

How it began

The investigations began after an anonymous letter describing an alleged plot, which became known as "Trojan Horse", was received by the government late last year and reported in the media in March. Many people believe the letter itself is a hoax, but it led to wider inquiries into how some schools were being run.

In April, the former counter-terrorism officer Peter Clarke was appointed by the Education Secretary to investigate the allegations. His report is expected later in the summer. Birmingham City Council is also carrying out its own review.

A row at the top

The affair has also caused tension within government, with a public disagreement between Mr Gove and the Home Secretary, Theresa May, over how to tackle extremism. Mr Gove has apologised to the Prime Minister over the row.

Concern in the city

The investigations have caused deep concern among parents, teachers and communities in the parts of east Birmingham where most of the schools are based. Governors and head teachers at several of the schools have strongly denied allegations of extremism, and some have said they will challenge the inspection findings.

Many people in Birmingham fear the affair is damaging the reputation of the city and of its Muslim communities, and community leaders have urged calm while the investigations are completed. For the thousands of pupils at the schools, the priority is that their education is not disrupted.