Schools are having to act as "surrogate" families to counter poor parenting and the influence of celebrity culture, according to Britain's chief schools inspector.
Sir Michael Wilshaw, head of the schools inspectorate Ofsted, said teachers were increasingly required to instil traditional values in pupils to make up for "wider failings" within the home and society.
Too many children were being exposed to a "self-obsessed" culture that promoted "instant gratification" over old-fashioned virtues such as honesty and hard work, he said. Schools must step into this "vacuum" even if it meant "being unfashionable, counter-cultural and setting good examples where few exist at home," Wilshaw added.
He made the comments after head teachers' leaders said schools were regularly expected to use assemblies to show pupils the difference between right and wrong.
Addressing the Association of School and College Leaders' (ASCL) annual conference in Birmingham on Friday, Wilshaw, said schools, particularly those in poor areas, had "no option but to be surrogate parents so that children can achieve."
"A culture which is sometimes self-obsessed and puts such emphasis on celebrity and instant gratification doesn't necessarily foster in our young people the essential virtues of effort and diligence which are so fundamental to success at schools and colleges," he said.
"Our youngsters are too often ex-posed to double standards, where bad behaviour and violence are publicly condemned but endlessly available as entertainment.
"As a result, schools are too often asked to make up for much wider failings within families and com-munities. "
The comments were echoed by head teachers.
Joan McVittie, the president of the ASCL and the head teacher of Woodside High School in north London, said schools were required to help pupils "get back on to the right path when they fall by the wayside."
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