Ministers hint at retreat on schools bill powers over academies, following criticism on all sides

The government has hinted that key sections of its schools bill could be extensively rewritten, following near-universal criticism in the House of Lords.

Ministers have said they will “reflect” on provisions in the bill which would allow the Secretary of State for Education sweeping intervention powers in academies, before the proposed legislation reaches its next stage.

The move comes with three Conservative former education ministers – including two recent academies ministers – having called for the proposed powers to be removed from the bill; House of Lords members from a range of parties having criticised the plans; and two Lords scrutiny committees having offered stinging critiques.

In what will strike many Education Uncovered readers as bitterly ironic, the only major intervention ministers appear not to be interested in, in relation to academies, is over the issue of mandating parental involvement in the governance of trusts.

The detail

The schools bill as currently written proposes a ministerial power to set what would be called “academy standards,” in aspects of provision ranging from the curriculum to staff pay and conditions, the length of the school day and finances, although the list as set out in the bill would be open-ended.