Trojan Horse: MP Liam Byrne calls on Ofsted to publish findings of probe at Birmingham school

Hodge Hill MP says details of an investigation into Park View Academy should be made public

Birmingham MP Liam Byrne has criticised Ofsted for failing to publish the results of an investigation into the academy at the heart of an alleged hardline Islamic plot to take over city schools.

Mr Byrne (Lab Hodge Hill) said the inquiry into Park View Academy in Alum Rock, in his constituency, should have been made public a month ago.

And he accused Mr Gove of playing politics over the allegations, saying the Education Secretary was scared it would expose failings in the rapid expansion of the Government’s academy programme.

Mr Gove has launched his own investigation into events in Birmingham schools even though all ten Birmingham MPs – including Conservative MP Andrew Mitchell – had urged him to set up a joint inquiry with the council.

Mr Byrne made his comments as Labour announced plans for dramatic reforms to the schools system.

A pledge to appoint an “independent director of school standards” in each region to monitor schools and respond to concerns from parents will be included in Labour’s General Election manifesto.

The measure was prompted partly by the alleged Birmingham plot, Labour said.

Ofsted launched an inquiry into Park View Academy in February after staff whistleblowers, including Muslims working at the school, claimed there was an attempt by “jihadists” to take it over.

The inquiry was later widened to include 18 city schools after Birmingham City Council and the media received a copy of a document supposedly revealing details of a plan called Trojan Horse for “getting rid of more headteachers and taking over their schools”.

Mr Byrne said he was waiting for the results of the official inquiry – but warned it was wrong to try to turn a secular school into a faith school “by the back door”, regardless of the religion involved.

The MP this week met with Ofsted chief Micheal Wilshaw, the chief inspector of schools, to urge him to publish the Park View Academy report.

He said: “The allegations are that there was inappropriate hiring and firing of teachers, and that an attempt was being made to introduce a faith school by the back door.

“I’m incredibly frustrated, like parents in Hodge Hill, that the report is taking so long to publish.

“I believe it should have been published a month ago.”

Mr Byrne said there needed to be greater recognition of the positive role of Islam in encouraging young Birmingham Muslims to work hard at school and contribute to their communities.

The MP also condemned Education Secretary Michael Gove for failing to co-operate with Birmingham City Council in setting up a joint inquiry into the claims.

It means there are now two separate inquiries, one by the Department for Education, chaired by anti-terror expert Peter Clarke, and one by Birmingham City Council, led by former headteacher Ian Kershaw.

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