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Nicky Morgan is looking at bringing in the co-founder of a union-bashing US 'free schools' network to inspect English schools.

The education secretary is understood to be considering Dave Levin, who helped set up a network of 'charter schools' in New York City, to be the next Ofsted chief inspector.

New York teachers have accused the leadership of his network, the Knowledge Is Power Programme (KIPP), of intimidating teachers to dissuade them from affiliating with the national teachers' union.

Teachers working in the network's charter schools - which are similar to free schools in the UK - are typically employed on year-to-year contracts.

(Image: Rex)

The network has also gone toe-to-toe with unions in disputes over pay for longer school days.

Ms Morgan is thought to be considering candidates from the US, Canada and northern Europe to replace Michael Wilshaw when he stands down from Ofsted in December.

One of the favourites is said to be Dave Levin, co-founder of the KIPP group, which set up a network of more than 180 high-performing schools in the US.

Mrs Morgan believes the new chief inspector needs a track record of pushing through education reforms against resistance from unions, whether experience was garnered in this country or abroad, according to the Sunday Times.

The plan has echoes of the controversy in 2011 when attempts were made to recruit former New York police chief Bill Bratton - known as "supercop" - to run Scotland Yard.

That idea was eventually dropped by Home Secretary Theresa May on the grounds a Briton was needed in a sensitive national security post.

But Downing Street reportedly supports the international search for a leader of Ofsted.

Lucy Powell MP, Labour's Shadow Secretary of State for Education said: "We should be looking to the best examples internationally to foster innovation and partnership to improve school standards but yet again from this Tory government we see an obsession with school structures and political point scoring rather than a focus on what matters most. It is the job of Ofsted to drive progress, hold schools to account for parents and help schools improve, not to pick fights with school leaders or union bash.

"The key ingredient to raising standards is enough high quality teachers in our classrooms. But as we've seen year after year Ministers are failing to recruit and retain enough teachers, threatening our future economic success and the prospects of young people in the global education race."