Ofsted fails top inner city state school for not safeguarding pupils from extremism Ofsted said this constituted a failure to safeguard the pupils, a breach which led to it being placed in special measures. It is the first school outside Birmingham to be failed on such a safeguarding issue. The school was also criticised by Ofsted for allowing segregation between boys and girls in the playground. Local education sources accused Ofsted of overreacting saying it was "taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut." The report, part of which was leaked to the Independent, will be published on Friday alongside reports on six other Muslim schools which are also said to have raised concerns about safeguarding issues. It raises questions about how schools should monitor Islamic societies, which are increasing in state schools. In September it emerged that schools were being hit by a series of "no notice" inspections as part of a crackdown on bad behaviour and the suspected radicalisation of pupils, Ofsted announced today. Ofsted said around 40 schools were being subjected to lightning inspections over a two-week period amid major concerns over classroom standards. The action is being taken in light of the alleged "Trojan Horse" plot in Birmingham that saw school governing bodies being infiltrated by hard-line Muslims. Inspectors raised concerns over the segregation of boys and girls in lessons, the marginalisation of subjects such as religious education and a failure to challenge extremist views. The watchdog had told regional inspectors to make greater use of existing powers to carry out lightning inspections - rather than the usual half-day notice period - to address a series of major concerns in their area. This included "rapidly" declining teaching standards and a slump in teachers" ability to maintain discipline. Echoing concerns raised in Birmingham, inspectors will also target schools with poor governance and those failing to provide a broad and balanced curriculum.