Ofsted takes aim at ‘hot-housing’

SCHOOLS which operate as ‘exam factories’ and hot-house pupils as young as eight will be penalised by Ofsted.

In an overhaul of inspections the body will downgrade the importance of exam results as a measure of a school’s success to stop teachers drilling pupils for tests.

Instead they will be rated on ‘quality of education’, according to leaked documents seen by the Sunday Times.

‘Exam factory’ schools that do not offer a ‘rich education’ in subjects such as art, sport, drama and music will be marked down.

The ASCL teaching union said the reform, which will go out for consultation, would better prepare pupils for adult life.