Fine parents who don't read to their children, says Ofsted head (and Sir Michael Wilshaw also wants to punish those who miss school events)

  • Ofsted head said 'bad parents' are not supporting their children's education
  • Pupils from migrant families are outperforming white British counterparts
  • The lowest performing social group is the poor white working class
  • Sir Michael claims deprivation is too often used as an excuse

By Jim Norton for the Daily Mail

Published: | Updated:

Sir Michael Wilshaw railed against 'bad parents' who were not supporting their children and called for headteachers to be able to punish bad parents

Sir Michael Wilshaw railed against 'bad parents' who were not supporting their children and called for headteachers to be able to punish bad parents

Parents who do not read to their children should be fined, the chief inspector of schools suggested yesterday. 

Sir Michael Wilshaw also called for headteachers to have the power to punish parents who miss school events or allow their child’s homework to go undone. 

The head of Ofsted railed against ‘bad parents’ who were not supporting their children’s education. 

Sir Michael, 67, accused white working class families of no longer regarding doing well at school as the way to improve their family’s future. 

Instead, pupils from migrant families were outperforming white British counterparts in the classroom because many held a deep cultural belief in the value of education, he claimed. 

Talking about his own days running a school, Sir Michael told The Times: ‘I was absolutely clear with parents; if they weren’t doing a good job, I would tell them so. 

‘It’s up to headteachers to say quite clearly, “You’re a poor parent”. 

‘If parents didn’t come into school, didn’t come to parents’ evening, didn’t read with their children, didn’t ensure they did their homework, I would tell them they were bad parents. 

‘Headteachers should have the power to fine them. It’s sending the message that you are responsible for your children no matter how poor you are.’

The lowest performing social group in England’s schools is the poor white working class, he said. 

Children from migrant families were doing ‘astonishingly well’ in contrast and were boosting Britain’s position in international league tables.

Sir Michael claimed deprivation was too often used as an excuse for poor performance in the classroom. 

Last year, research by the Centre for Social Justice revealed only 26 per cent of poor white British boys attain five A* to C grades at GCSE including maths and English – compared with 40 per cent of black boys and 63 per cent of the country as a whole.

Sir Michael claimed deprivation was too often used as an excuse for poor performance in the classroom

Sir Michael claimed deprivation was too often used as an excuse for poor performance in the classroom

Sir Michael also accused some TV  programmes of ‘celebrating’ poor parenting – with Channel 4’s Shameless singled out. Of the comedy-drama about a family living on a grim  Manchester council estate, he said: ‘It’s almost glorifying fecklessness.’

The Ofsted head, who has clashed with the Education Secretary Michael Gove, did not explain exactly how a system of fines might work and ministers are unlikely to take up his suggestion.

However, his comments come as Mr Gove draws up plans for tougher sanctions – including cutting child benefit – in cases where pupils do not turn up to school without good reason.

Penalty notices of £60 can already be issued by headteachers and local authorities if parents do not ensure their children attend school up to the age of 16.

More than 52,000 fixed- penalty notices were issued to parents last year – of which just over half were paid within 28 days.

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