Two Midland schools were dubbed the "best of the best" today after being rated " outstanding" three times in a row by Ofsted inspectors.

The schools - King Edward VI Handsworth in Birmingham and Solihull's Arden School - are among 24 nationally judged to be the country's elite schools.

But while welcoming the accolade, the head of one of them - Ann Green at Arden - cast doubt on the long-term future of Ofsted.

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She predicted the controversial regime would be dismantled within a decade as self-evaluation took over.

Ofsted identified 47 schools in the region among 457 nationally that were rated outstanding in their last inspection.

A further six gained their second outstanding rating.

David Bell, Ofsted's chief inspector of schools, said: "Schools that have been identified as outstanding in not just one but two or three inspections have proved themselves to be consistently high achievers and the best of the best."

Elspeth Insch, head of girls' grammar King Edward VI Handsworth, said she was particularly pleased to be the only school in Birmingham among the 24 elite.

"I was most nervous before the third inspection because I knew there was more at stake this time," she said.

Ms Green also welcomed her school's Ofsted hat-trick.

She said: "We were one of the first to be inspected and have gone through three full inspections under the old regime, rather than the new shorter and smaller ones."

But she added: "I think the move towards self-evaluation is more productive because ultimately schools that are successful will show up in other ways.

"If you really want to bring about change it is for individuals in classrooms to look at their own performance and say how they can make it better."