Ofsted targets school discipline with no-notice inspections

According to the watchdog, the trials will help determine whether unannounced visits are workable and give a clearer picture of behaviour in schools.

The results from the initial tests will feed into the inspectorate’s future school inspection framework where there is a need for improvement in levels of discipline.

Miriam Rosen, interim chief inspector at Ofsted, said: "Where behaviour is poor, young people are being denied the quality of education they deserve. As we develop our new inspection plans we are determined to get the focus on this right. By testing out unannounced monitoring visits, we will see if there is even more we can do to help schools address behaviour problems."

Under the trials, inspectors will spend more time in classrooms, evaluate ways teachers promote good behaviour and consider how pupils treat each other and adults.

Inspectors will also talk to pupils and parents to get their views about the standards of behaviour in the school.

Barnardo’s assistant director of policy and research Louise Bamfield said: "Tactically arranging for difficult pupils to be hidden from view or absent from school grounds on the day of an inspection is completely unacceptable. School is somewhere that every child should be every day and Barnardo’s supports the trialling of no-notice inspections, to help us achieve a true picture of whether schools have effective approaches to behaviour.

"While we recognise that persistent disruptive behaviour in the classroom can often create an intolerable situation for teachers and other pupils, disorder does not have to escalate to that point. Effective management of behaviour needs to move away from a firefighting mentality and look beyond issuing punishment. Issuing stricter behaviour guidance buries the real issue and tackles the problem from the wrong end."