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The battle between the chief education inspector and the Government has deepended after the head of Ofsted warned she will not quit. Christine Gilbert announced she would not be renewing her contract next year and would not be leaving before then. The statement sets her on course for a battle with new education secretary Michael Gove who has demanded she leave Ofsted ‘sooner rather than later'. The inspectorate issued a statement confirming she would step down in 2011 but added she ‘has no plans to leave before that date'. Mr Gove has made no secret of his intention to overhaul Ofsted, which covers schools and social services, as part of efforts to reduce the scope of quangos. It has been criticised for its response to the Baby Peter case and changes to school inspection. Adding to the problem is the political dimension, as Ms Gilbert is married to the Labour MP and former minister Tony McNulty. Zenna Atkins, the chairman of Ofsted, said in a statement: ‘Christine's contract as Her Majesty's chief inspector ends in October 2011. While she has already indicated to the Secretary of State that she will not be seeking to renew her term as HMCI when the current contract ends, she has no plans to leave before that date. ‘Christine has made it clear to me that if it would be helpful for the new chief inspector to take over earlier in 2011, she would be happy to discuss that further. ‘The post of Chief Inspector is a crown appointment and it is crucial that Christine continues to ensure that Ofsted's many statutory duties are carried out rigorously and that Ofsted reports are produced independently without fear or favour. ‘She will also continue to work with the new government to help raise standards and the quality of life for children, young people and adult learners.'

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WHITEHALL

Ofsted chief fights back over her future

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