School inspector 'secrecy' attacked

Schools may have a new chief inspector after June

The post of the chief inspector of Welsh schools is being "stitched up in smoke-filled rooms," according to the National Union of Teachers in Wales.

The union said a panel of anonymous civil servants was deciding the future of current inspector Susan Lewis, whose contract expires in June.

The assembly has denied claims of secrecy

NUT Cymru Secretary Gethin Lewis said the Welsh Assembly had assembled a secretive panel of civil servants to determine her fate, and he accused the body of being unfair.

He has called on the assembly to lift the lid on the "anonymous" group and wants the appointment to be advertised externally.

The union has claimed Mrs Lewis is unpopular; her management style has been questioned and has led to the resignation of some staff from Welsh schools inspectorate Estyn.

Independent post

Mr Lewis said the appointment should be decided independently, but denied he was trying to oust the chief inspector.

"We want to look at her contribution to education in Wales and, if a judgement is made that it would be better to appoint somebody else, that would be the best way to do it," he said.

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"Susan Lewis had a five-year, fixed-term contract - we want to ensure the appointment is done on terms that are acceptable to everyone in Wales.

"We want to ensure the assembly do it in a transparent way.

"This is a very important post - in the history of Wales, people will realise how important the post is.

"In Victorian times, inspectors from England came to Wales and criticised pupils because they couldn't speak English."

However, a spokesperson for the Welsh Assembly which oversees Estyn, told BBC News Online there was no secrecy.

"It is not a secret process; Susan Lewis' contract is up for renewal," she said.

"The review panel will consist of George Craig, the assembly's Senior Director of Social Policy; Roy Evans, Vice Chancellor of the University of Wales in Bangor; and Rudi Plaut of the General Teaching Council, Chair of Techniquest.

"If she passes the review, she remains in the post; if not, there is provision in the contract for the employment to be ended and the post to be advertised."