Ofsted is investigating the reports

A investigation is underway after it was claimed that there were similarities between the wordings of an Ofsted report about a school in Belvedere and another London school.

Belvedere Junior School, which has 301 children, was given a poor Ofsted report after a two day inspection this January.

It has since been claimed that some wording in the inspection report for the school in Mitchell Close and that of Malmesbury Primary School in Tower Hamlets were similar and Ofsted has said it is looking into the reports. A spokeswoman said: “We are concerned by the similarity of some of the drafting in the two reports and this is being looked it with the relevant adviser.”

An Ofsted spokeswoman said: “Ofsted carries out around 6,000 school inspections a year. At the end of each inspection there is a face to face discussion with the head teacher where the inspection findings are clearly presented so the school is able to begin making any necessary improvements.

She added: “An inspection report is also produced to share the findings more widely. Each of these inspection reports was reviewed separately by Ofsted HMI before publication in order to ensure it was supported by the evidence found on the inspection. We stand by the judgements recorded in the reports. We are concerned by the similarity of some of the drafting in the two reports and this is being looked into with the relevant inspector.”

Bexley council released a statement saying: “We are in discussions with Ofsted over our recent report and because of this we are not in a position to give a comment at present.”

A spokeswoman said the council was not currently looking at any other Ofsted reports and it would be up to individual schools to report any concerns to the inspection body.

The school is currently on half term.

Sion Humphreys, policy adviser for the teaching union the National Association of Head Teachers said: “Inspections are a very serious business. It’s serious because its how parents find out how the school is doing. If inspectors suggest that the school is failing in same way that has consequences for the future of the school- people can lose their jobs as a result.”

But he added that if there were similarities in wording, that does not mean the inspection process is flawed.