Paul Nuttall, MEP for the Northwest of England, has spoken out after the principal of Grindon Hall Christian School in Sunderland complained to schools’ regulator Ofsted over a ‘hostile’ inspection.
The MEP, who is also Deputy Leader of UKIP, said he was “horrified” to hear about a Christian school where children as young as ten were quizzed about homosexual practice.
The Christian Institute reported yesterday that Grindon Hall school, which has some of the best exam results in its area, has been given the worst possible grading by Ofsted in a report blasted as ‘defying logic’.
Appalling
Speaking before the report was published, Nuttall said: “I was horrified to read that Ofsted inspectors actually quizzed ten-year-olds about lesbian sex and transsexuality. I find that absolutely appalling.”
The inspectors were acting under the ‘British values’ school standards, introduced in September last year, which require schools to pay particular regard to the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010, including transsexualism and homosexuality.
Nuttall continued, “primary school children should be concentrating on learning the 3 Rs and not having details about lesbian sex and gender issues forced upon them.”
Innocence stolen
He said: “I know kids grow up fast these days but they should not have their innocence taken away from them by government edict.”
“Little children do not need to have this sort of information forced on them to appease government guidelines”, he concluded.
Principal Chris Gray expressed concern that “the manner and content of questioning of pupils crossed the line into harassment”.
Parental concerns
Parents have objected to questions their children were asked at the school, including if they knew what lesbians “did” and if their friends felt trapped in the “wrong body”.
In a statement on the school website Mr Gray said a draft inspection report revealed evidence of “unwarranted skepticism on the part of the inspection team” about the school’s Christian ethos.
Ofsted’s draft version, since amended, read: “The Christian ethos of the school permeates much of the school’s provision. This has restricted the development of a broad and balanced approach to the curriculum.”
Real motives
Colin Hart, Director of The Christian Institute, responded to Mr Gray’s statement saying: “For Ofsted to give the best performing state school in the area its worst possible rating defies common sense.
“Removing a statement slamming the school’s Christian ethos from their final report tells us all we need to know about what is really behind the downgrading of the school.”