THE chief inspector of schools has said he is "spitting blood" over right-wing attacks on Ofsted.

Sir Michael Wilshaw told The Sunday Times that education secretary Michael Gove risked damaging school standards by undermining his authority and attacking Ofsted's ideology.

It comes after reports right-wing think tank Civitas has urged the government to create a new body to inspect free schools and academies.

While the Policy Exchange think tank, which Mr Gove set up in 2002, is calling for evidence from schools about whether the school inspection body is "fit for purpose".

Asked if he wanted Mr Gove to call off the attack he said: "Absolutely, it does nothing for his drive or our drive to raise standards in schools.

"I am spitting blood over this and I want it to stop.

"I was never intimidated as a headteacher and I do not intend to be intimidated as a chief inspector."

He added he had received "unjust" criticism from both the left and the right since Mr Gove appointed him to the post in 2011.

He also insisted Ofsted would not be frightened into softening its inspections on free schools, the government's flagship education policy.

Recent inspections on free schools have led to the closure of Discovery New School, in West Sussex, while the troubled Al-Madinah school in Derby was labelled inadequate.

"If I see things going wrong in an academy chain I will say so," he told the newspaper.

"If people tied to the free-school movement think I will not do that they have another think coming.

"As long as as we exist and have the job of raising standards we will do the job fairly without fear or favour."

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