Controversial Chris Woodhead

Teachers Stirred Up by Woodhead Appointment

One is Chris Woodhead, the outspoken Chief Inspector of Schools, who has been in more or less open warfare with teachers for some time. The most damaging row was over his remark that there were 15,000 incompetent teachers in the profession who should be sacked.

Mr Woodhead was appointed by the Conservatives but had his position as Chief Inspector confirmed by the Prime Minister in the run-up to the election despite all the controversy.

The other is Professor Tim Brighouse, the head of education on Labour-run Birmingham City Council. Professor Brighouse is widely respected in the profession and credited with raising school standards in the area.

Professor Brighouse's brush with notoriety came when he successfully sued then Education Secretary John Patten for calling him "a nutter" some years ago.

The Education Secretary will announce the appointments of both men as vice chairman on the task force formally on Friday. The task force's role is to identify good teaching and learning practice in schools and then spread them as widely as possible. It will be headed by Mr Blunkett himself.

The NAHT conference

David Hart, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said the Government risked undermining the task force by the decision. "At first glance this will be regarded as a red rag to a bull," he said, "A more considered reaction would be that this is the Government's way of bringing the inspector under more direct control. Whether it stops him behaving as a loose cannon only time will tell."

In contrast, Mr Hart praised the appointment of Professor Brighouse. He said it would reassure schools that there was not going to be an attempt to impose particular teaching methods.

National Union of Teachers leader Doug McAvoy was initially cautious. He said that judgement should be reserved until the task force actually did something. However, he also remarked that "providing support for schools will certainly be a challenge for Mr Woodhead".

Mc McAvoy added that he did not question Mr Woodhead's commitment to education but he did question his methods. He thought it would be fascinating to see how the two men would work together.