THE National Union of Teachers (NUT) condemned the appointment of academy chain trustee David Hoare as Ofsted chairman yesterday as the latest “politicisation of school inspection.”

Mr Hoare currently sits on the board of the Academies Enterprise Trust (AET) — one of England’s biggest chains and runs over 70 schools. 

And Tory Education Secretary Morgan said that the “proven business leader” fits the job because of his “work with academies across the country.”

But NUT deputy leader Kevin Courtney said “academy status is no panacea.

“Teachers will view today’s appointment as further evidence of the government’s politicisation of school inspection,” he added. 

“This could further widen the credibility gap between Ofsted and schools.

“It is essential that Ofsted distances itself from the pressure to force schools to become academies against their will.”

Ms Morgan’s choice of chair is made more controversial as he replaces Labour peer Sally Morgan, who was axed by former education secretary Michael Gove in February. 

Mr Hoare joined AET as a trustee in January amid its controversial campaign of school service privatisation. 

Unison have warned that 500 jobs could be culled if library, cleaning, finance, administration and pupil support roles are outsourced. 

Unison head of education John Richards said AET trustees said he hopes “the important independent role of the Ofsted Chair will not be compromised.”

He told the Star: “The AET board has spent too much time focusing on bringing profit-making companies into the heart of the classroom and the running of academies.

Mr Hoare will step down as an AET trustee in September to take him new role.

His supporters have said he was passionate about helping disadvantaged pupils and not committed to education privatisation. 

He is also viewed as a compromise candidate, drafted-in after Mr Gove’s bid to install Tory donor Theodore Agnew to the post was exposed. 

Shadow education secretary Tristram Hunt said the episode proved that the Tories could not be trusted with Ofsted. 

“Playing politics with children’s education by filling posts with the Tories’ nearest and dearest is not acceptable,” he said.