Ofsted inspectors were being sent into a council today amid concerns that it was failing to help its schools raise standards.

The Isle of Wight Council is being targeted in a bid to find out why it has a high number of under-performing schools, the watchdog said.

It will be the first time Ofsted has examined how a local authority is helping schools improve.

Ofsted said the five-day visits would look at whether the council is offering enough support and challenge to schools, and promoting high standards and fair access for all pupils.

Chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw said too many schools on the Island were “failing to provide a standard of education that children deserve”.

Recent school inspections on the Island had raised serious concerns about the effectiveness of the local authority’s support. “Many school leaders have expressed the view that their local authority is not doing enough to challenge their institutions to improve,” he said.

Councillor Richard Priest, Isle of Wight Council Cabinet member for children’s services, said: “There is a clear need for improvement in this area and that is why, with the support of the Department for Education, we are developing a partnership with Hampshire County Council designed to raise the quality of education on the Island as quickly as possible.

“The council’s interim lead for schools has already undertaken a lot of work with colleagues here and in both Hampshire and Ofsted but if this inspection is going to help us identify and prioritise further work that needs to be undertaken under our emerging partnership then it is to be welcomed.”