Ofsted school inspections in England are set to be overhauled, the agency's boss Sir Michael Wilshaw announced yesterday.

Around 60 per cent of schools are rated as "good" by the regulator, and Mr Wilshaw said there was "little point" in sending in teams of inspectors every five years just to confirm that status.

Instead he proposed moving to a system where they would be subject to shorter, more frequent assessment, with full inspections reserved for schools which are failing or on the cusp of being rated "outstanding."