Ofsted encourages parents to air concerns over children's schools

Parents will be encouraged to pass on concerns about their children's schools via an Ofsted website intended to warn inspectors of problems such as falling standards or bullying. The site, which is due to be launched in September, will ask parents to answer questions about teaching, achievement and discipline, awarding marks on a scale of one to five. Christine Gilbert, chief inspector of schools, said the data would be used to assess schools. "If they're telling us things that really worry us, even if our assessments are fine, we will go in and inspect," she said.