Bridget Phillipson said schoolboys needed 'strong, positive male role models to look up to' as she highlighted a lack of men forging careers in the classroom.
Ms Phillipson directed the Public Sector Fraud Authority to help co-ordinate the response to the allegations and support the investigations already under way.
Dr Rupa Huq (pictured), the Labour MP for Ealing Central and Acton, said putting 20 per cent VAT on independent school fees was punishing 'working people'.
The Education Secretary said Labour 's manifesto pledge of hiking it to 2.5 per cent was an 'ambitious' target and suggested it would not be further increased despite calls to do so.
Bridget Phillipson will this week write to the worst 100 school trusts and local authorities who have been identified needing to 'urgently improve' because their absence rates are 'higher than expect…
Bridget Phillipson reminded parents of their 'responsibility' and warned such absences impact 'the education of all children' in a class, while defending her reforms to make Ofsted 'more rigorous'.