'Trojan' trust boss slams 'shoddy' school inspections

David Hughes said inspectors had followed their "own agendas" in chasing up complaints about governors

The vice-chair of the academy trust at the centre of the "Trojan Horse" row has accused the government of "deliberately misrepresenting" schools.

David Hughes of the Park View Educational Trust said Muslims in Birmingham felt "betrayed" by critical inspection reports.

He made the comments in an open letter to Education Secretary Michael Gove and Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw.

The Department for Education (DfE) said it "was right" to investigate.

Park View was told the government intends to terminate its funding agreement after Ofsted found schools did not do enough to protect children from extremism.

'Fatally flawed'

In the letter Mr Hughes describes himself as a "white, practising Anglican Christian" and denies there was a plot to "Islamise" Park View, Nansen Primary and Golden Hillock schools or promote extremism.

He notes that Ofsted inspectors - which rated the schools "inadequate" - found no evidence of such a plot.

Another inspection into the trust by the Education Funding Agency was "woefully shoddy" and "fatally flawed", Mr Hughes adds.

Sir Michael Wilshaw has said he will meet with parents at the affected schools

Mr Hughes said the trust was "shocked and saddened" at the suggestion "abominable practices like female genital mutilation and the treatment of women as second-class citizens are not robustly countered at Park View".

He goes on to say the Trojan Horse scandal had created "very angry communities now who feel frightened, betrayed and let down by the way you have exploited the Trojan Horse hoax and demonised them".

"You have my best wishes in dealing with what has been unleashed," he adds.

A DfE spokesman said the department would be "failing in our duty if we ignored the evidence arising from these investigations and did not intervene".

"Every school must offer a broad and balanced curriculum and ensure they are welcoming and inclusive to students of all faith and none."